Is God’s Grace Big Enough for Tristan Tate?

A Reflection on Redemption and Forgiveness

The Romanian Court of Appeals has ruled that the case against Andrew and Tristan Tate cannot move forward to trial in its current state, requiring prosecutors to address irregularities and review evidence. This marks the second time the case has been sent back for revisions. The Tate brothers, known for their controversial online presence, face accusations of wrongdoing related to their business activities and claims of exploiting others, which they strongly deny. Additional investigations are ongoing in Romania and the UK, including allegations of financial misconduct. The brothers maintain their innocence, confident that the charges are unfounded and part of a larger attempt to discredit them. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Tristan Tate shares the story of his conversion to Christianity, which prompted me to ask, "Is God's grace big enough for Tristan?"

My next book is on the book of Exodus and reading the story again I was reminded that Moses killed someone (Exodus 2:11-12; Acts 7:23-29) by taking the law into his own hands. In fact, throughout the Bible, there are numerous stories of men committing heinous sins, receiving God’s forgiveness, and being used by God to accomplish great things for His Kingdom (more on that later). These accounts have challenged me to reflect deeply on the role of God’s grace in the lives of individuals like Tristan Tate, who now professes Christian faith but remains widely criticized. Considering the allegations against him, I found myself asking, “Is God’s grace truly big enough to encompass someone like Tristan Tate, as he is rumored to be?”

Tristan Tate’s conversion to Christianity follows a trend of very well-known figures “finding God.” As I mentioned in my “Weekly Top Five Articles” (January 3, 2025), Peter Savodnik chronicles the surprising turn toward religion among prominent thinkers, from philosophers to tech moguls. Nearly 150 years after Nietzsche proclaimed “God is dead,” figures like Matthew Crawford, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Jordan Peterson are finding faith amid cultural disillusionment. I can only hope that this trend will continue.

In the interview with Tucker Carlson, Tristan Tate shared his journey toward embracing Christianity. Carlson asked him, “When did you become a Christian?” Here’s how Tate responded:

Shortly after moving here[to Romania], I was disenfranchised with Christianity. I just mentioned Christopher Hitchens; I read a few books that he wrote when I was younger, and I thought, "You know what?" I looked around England and saw the way society was collapsing and the way Christians behaved. I mean, Pride flags in churches—this is a relatively new phenomenon—but let’s just say it started with versions of reality like that. I thought, "Christians don’t really stand for anything anymore."

I challenge any atheist to walk around Romania and insult Jesus Christ to the normal Romanian man. People say, "Oh, well, if you insult the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, the Muslims will punch you in the face." Go and do that in Romania—insult Jesus. The Romanians stand for something. I saw how Christianity holds this country together. You couldn’t wear that watch in London; walking around London with that watch and no bodyguards could be a death sentence. But you could get as drunk as you like by yourself in any bar in Bucharest with that watch on, and no one’s going to steal it from you. The Romanian people are good people, and Christianity is what helps hold the society together.

Also, the maternal grandfather of my daughter is an Orthodox Christian priest. Even when I was dating his daughter, he was insisting the grandkids had to be baptized, etc. I fell back into Christianity by reading the Bible cover to cover six years ago, and it opened my eyes to what I was standing against as an atheist. I thought, "Why would I stand against this?"

Then, look at atheists. Go to these men standing naked with their [genitalia] out in front of kids. You know, these people aren’t Christians. Look at how the atheists behave, how they fetishize serious issues like abortion. Thirty abortions—this is funny? No, it’s not funny. I’m not even saying it should be illegal, but that’s not funny. These are all atheists. These are the godless people. That’s my team? I looked around and thought, "These people don’t represent me. Why am I saying I’m an atheist?" Let me at least investigate what I’m missing out on, and that’s what converted me.

What It Means to Become a Christian in Orthodoxy?

In Orthodox Christianity, according to Rev. Fr. Thomas Fitzgerald, the Church is inseparably united with Christ, described as His Body and Bride. It continues Christ's mission by revealing the Holy Trinity, reconciling humanity to God, and guiding individuals toward authentic human life. Orthodox Christians believe that the Holy Spirit works through the Church, making it a unique meeting place between God and His people.

Becoming a member of the Orthodox Church involves a profound commitment to Christ, experienced through baptism, participation in the Eucharist, and integration into a spiritual community. This process includes instruction in the faith, guided by a local priest, culminating in a formal reception service. Depending on one’s background, this may involve baptism, chrismation, or anointing.

Orthodoxy welcomes individuals of all cultures and backgrounds, emphasizing unity in faith and love. Worship, prayer, and the Eucharist are central to the spiritual life, fostering a closer relationship with God and equipping believers to serve others. The Church underscores the inseparable connection between love for God and love for one’s neighbor, encouraging a life lived according to the Gospel.

Ultimately, to become Orthodox is to embrace a life of worship, service, and personal transformation, united with Christ and guided by the Church toward spiritual growth and the fruits of the Spirit.

What Does Salvation Mean In Orthodoxy?

Fr. Theodore Stylianopoulos explains the Orthodox Christian understanding of salvation, emphasizing that it is a collaborative and lifelong process involving God’s grace, human free will, faith, and good works. Drawing on biblical teachings, particularly from Jesus and Paul, he explains that salvation begins with God’s initiative through Christ and the Holy Spirit, offering justification, forgiveness, and new life. While salvation is a gift from God, it requires individuals to actively receive it through faith, repentance, and obedience. Faith is foundational, but it must be expressed through loving deeds and a life lived according to the Gospel. Orthodox Christianity views salvation as a dynamic relationship with God, nurtured through sacraments like Baptism and the Eucharist, ongoing repentance, and the pursuit of good works as acts of gratitude and love. This perspective underscores the mystery of salvation as a partnership between divine grace and human response, culminating in the ultimate hope of eternal life with God.

Stylianopoulos summarizes salvation this way:

The work of salvation belongs entirely to God. It is God through Christ and the Holy Spirit, who has the divine power to rescue us from the forces of sickness, evil, sin, death, and the devil. It is God through Christ and the Holy Spirit who alone provides justification, forgiveness, and new life to sinners who come to Him with faith. And God provides salvation as a most amazing and unceasing gift to all sincere seekers.

Is God’s Grace Grand Enough for Tristan Tate?

Throughout Scripture, Godly individuals are depicted as flawed yet redeemable. David, for example, fell into sin by committing adultery with Bathsheba and orchestrating her husband’s death, yet he later repented through Psalm 51. Moses, though chosen to lead Israel, began his journey by killing an Egyptian and fleeing (Exodus 2:11-15). Similarly, Peter denied Christ three times but was lovingly restored by Jesus (Luke 22:54-62). These stories emphasize that no one is beyond God’s mercy when repentance is sincere.

Forgiveness is one of the most challenging teachings in Christianity and a practice that sets it apart as unique. Jesus emphasizes its importance unequivocally. In Matthew 6:14-15, He declares, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." When Peter asks in Matthew 18:21-22 how many times he must forgive a brother who sins against him, suggesting seven times, Jesus replies, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." This theme is reinforced in Matthew 18:35, where, following the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Jesus warns, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." In Luke 6:36-37, Jesus broadens the call to mercy, stating, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." These teachings demonstrate that forgiveness is both a divine command and a hallmark of the Christian faith, requiring believers to embody the mercy and grace of God in their lives.

Here’s what the Westminster Confession of Faith (chapter 15) says about faith and repentance:

• As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.

• Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man’s duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.

• As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof, upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy: so he that scandalizeth his brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended; who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.

This perspective on forgiveness, repentance, and faith is particularly significant in light of Tristan's past. Regarding the streaming company he once operated, Tristan shared the following during his interview with Tucker Carlson:

Andrew is a Muslim, and I'm a Christian. In a previous life, my brother and I used to run a streaming company. Essentially, pretty girls would stream online and talk to dudes online. You know, there was some nudity involved, and it was a studio. Essentially, the girls worked for my company. They had contracts to work for my company and got paid very, very well. People were like, "Ah, they were involved in that business where they recruited women."

Tate goes on to say that it is fair for people to raise questions about his past and the current allegations against him:

I understand why well-intentioned fans of mine might say, "Oh, he was talking about this business he used to run—was he trafficking those people?" That's a very fair question, a very fair question. But there is no connection at all to that and the [current] case.

I was particularly struck by the phrase "in a previous life," referring to his pre-Christian life. Like all Christians who have experienced adult conversions, there are often aspects of our past that may prompt others to ask "fair questions" about our credibility today. This emphasis on a "previous life" brings to mind the many testimonies of Christians who engaged in certain activities before their conversion, including that of the Apostle Paul.

Paul reflects on his past with shame, acknowledging his role as a zealous persecutor of Christians before his conversion. He admits to persecuting followers of Christ "to their death," arresting and punishing them, and even attempting to force them to blaspheme (Acts 22:3-5; Acts 26:9-11). In Galatians, he recounts how he "intensely persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it" due to his zeal for Jewish traditions (Galatians 1:13-14). Writing to Timothy, Paul describes himself as a "blasphemer, persecutor, and a violent man," but emphasizes the abundant grace and mercy he received from Christ, calling himself "the worst of sinners" who was saved to demonstrate God’s limitless patience (1 Timothy 1:12-15). These confessions highlight Paul’s deep awareness of his sinful past and his profound gratitude for God’s transformative grace.

The Bottom Line

Amid his legal challenges, Tristan Tate has shared his journey toward Christianity, acknowledging a "previous life" marked by controversial business activities and admitting that fair questions about his past are warranted. The courts will make a decision about the current allegations but his testimony seems to reflect a change in his faith and a new life in the Orthodox church.

Scripture reminds us that God’s grace is boundless, extending forgiveness to all who come to Him in repentance, regardless of their past. Just as figures like Paul, Moses, and David were redeemed and used by God despite their sins, so too can anyone, including Tristan Tate, experience God’s mercy. As Christians, we are called to recognize that salvation is not ours to grant or withhold, but God’s alone. Instead of judging others, in terms of who is worthy of God’s grace, we are reminded to examine our own lives, extending the same grace and forgiveness we ourselves have received.

If God’s grace is big enough for me, a sinner, then as a Christian, I must conclude that God’s grace is also grand enough for Tristan Tate—whatever the specifics of his journey may be, as they are between him and the triune God. Moreover, as a Christian, I am compelled to recognize him as “my brother.”

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like Anthony Bradley and Tristan Tate.