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David Green is an American businessman, founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, a chain of arts and crafts stores. Green is a prominent Christian and has been described as an evangelical benefactor. He has donated significant sums to evangelical organizations and funded the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. Green has also been involved in legal battles over the inclusion of contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs in employee health insurance, with Hobby Lobby winning a Supreme Court case in 2014 that exempted closely held companies with strong religious beliefs from providing such coverage. While Green and Hobby Lobby have received support from Catholic bishops in their legal battles, it is important to note that Green and his family are evangelical Protestants, not Catholics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion | Evangelical Protestant Christian |
| Religious beliefs | Believes that companies can hold religious views and should be able to opt out of providing contraception coverage under Obamacare |
| Religious upbringing | Son of a preacher |
| Religious affiliations | Major financial supporter of evangelical organizations in the US |
| Religious donations | Commits half of Hobby Lobby's total pretax earnings to a portfolio of evangelical ministries |
| Religious philanthropy | Plans to give 90% of the company to charity, with the remaining 10% going to his family |
| Religious texts | Quotes 2 Corinthians in his public letter joining Warren Buffett's Giving Pledge in 2010 |
| Religious artifacts | Amassed the largest private collection of biblical antiquities in the world, including 44,000 artifacts |
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What You'll Learn
David Green is a devout Christian
Green has built his business on biblical principles. Forbes magazine has described him as "the largest evangelical benefactor in the world". Green has said that his entire $5.1 billion empire belongs to God. He has also stated that he plans to give 90% of the company to charity, with the remaining 10% going to his family. He is a major financial supporter of evangelical organizations in the United States and funded the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. He is one of the largest individual donors to evangelical causes in the United States, committing half of Hobby Lobby's total pre-tax earnings to a portfolio of evangelical ministries. As of 2012, he had donated an estimated $500 million.
Green has also taken a public stance against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) because of its inclusion of a provision mandating that companies include the "morning-after pill" in their health coverage. He sued the federal government, overturning the mandate to provide that medication. Green has said, "I don't care if you're in business or out of business, God owns it... How do I separate it? Well, it's God's in church and it's mine here? You can't have a belief system on Sunday and not live it the other six days".
Hobby Lobby is one of the biggest overtly Christian companies in the US. The company now employs 28,000 people across 555 stores, with annual sales of $3.3 billion. Stores are closed on Sundays, and workers make a minimum of $18.50 an hour as of January 2022, well above the federal minimum wage.
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He is one of the largest donors to evangelical causes in the US
David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby, is one of the largest donors to evangelical causes in the US. Green is a preacher's son from a poor background in Oklahoma. He started his company with a $600 loan in 1970, selling picture frames from his family home. The first Hobby Lobby store opened two years later, and the company now has 555 stores, with over 28,000 employees and $3.3 billion in sales. Forbes estimates Green's net worth at $4.5 billion, ranking him as the 94th-wealthiest person in the US.
Green is a devout Christian and has built his business on biblical principles. He has publicly stated that he believes his wealth belongs to God, and that he intends to give 90% of his company to charity, with the remaining 10% going to his family. He commits half of Hobby Lobby's total pre-tax earnings to a portfolio of evangelical ministries and, as of 2012, had donated an estimated $500 million. Green is also the primary funder of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
In addition to his financial support of evangelical organizations, Green has also taken a public stance against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) due to its inclusion of a provision mandating that companies include the "morning-after pill" in their health coverage. In 2014, Hobby Lobby won a Supreme Court case that exempted "closely held" companies with strong religious beliefs from providing employees with the morning-after pill. The decision was controversial, with critics arguing that it infringed on women's health rights, while supporters viewed it as a victory for conscience rights.
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Green has publicly opposed Obamacare
David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, has been described by Forbes magazine as "the largest evangelical benefactor in the world". He is a major financial supporter of evangelical organisations in the United States and has donated an estimated $500 million as of 2012. Green has also funded the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
In 2014, Green won a Supreme Court case that exempted "closely held" companies with strong religious beliefs from providing employees with the morning-after pill. The case, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., saw Green sue the federal government and overturn the mandate to provide emergency contraception medication. Green argued that his rights were being infringed upon and that he should not be forced to set aside his deeply held religious beliefs.
The decision was controversial, with the White House describing it as "jeopardising the health of women who are employed by these companies". Critics argued that Green was infringing upon the rights of his employees and that his beliefs should not dictate their access to healthcare. However, Green has maintained that his business operates according to Biblical principles and that his faith is an integral part of Hobby Lobby.
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He has committed to giving 90% of his wealth to charity
David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby, has committed to giving 90% of his wealth to charity. Green is a devout Christian and a major financial supporter of evangelical organizations in the United States. He was raised in a religious family, with his father and siblings all holding pastoral roles.
Green's commitment to giving back is evident in his personal life and his business practices. Hobby Lobby, which began as a small business in Green's garage, has grown into a successful chain of arts and crafts stores. Despite his wealth, Green maintains a humble outlook and does not associate wealth with personal value. He believes that all his possessions belong to God and that he is merely a steward of God's resources. This belief has led to his decision to give away a significant portion of his wealth.
Green has stated that he plans to give 90% of his company to charity, with the remaining 10% going to his family. This decision aligns with his core values and his desire to remain faithful to his religious beliefs. Green has also structured the ownership of Hobby Lobby to reflect these values, ensuring that the company will continue to operate as a religious organization even after his death.
In addition to his plans for future giving, Green has already donated substantial amounts to evangelical causes. As of 2012, he had donated an estimated $500 million, making him one of the largest individual donors to evangelical ministries in the United States. Green also commits half of Hobby Lobby's total pre-tax earnings to these causes, demonstrating his strong commitment to supporting religious organizations.
Green's charitable efforts extend beyond financial donations. He has also funded the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., and supported various evangelical initiatives. His stance on religious freedom has been a topic of public debate, particularly regarding his opposition to providing certain contraceptive methods under the Affordable Care Act. However, Green's commitment to his beliefs and his desire to promote his religious values are consistent throughout his business and charitable endeavours.
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David Green is the son of a preacher
David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby, is the son of a preacher. He grew up in a poor household in Altus, Oklahoma, where his father was a Christian pastor with a congregation of 35. All five of his siblings are pastors or pastors' wives.
Green started his company in 1970 with a $600 loan, selling miniature picture frames from his garage. By 1972, he had opened the first Hobby Lobby store in northwest Oklahoma City. Today, the company has over 950 locations and generates an estimated $7.9 billion in annual sales.
Despite his immense wealth, Green remains a devout Christian and has built his business on biblical principles. He is a major financial supporter of evangelical organizations and has donated an estimated $500 million to various causes. Green has also funded the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., where he has amassed a large collection of biblical antiquities.
As the son of a preacher, Green has spoken about the importance of living out one's belief system every day, not just on Sundays. He has taken a public stance against certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act due to his religious objections to providing certain types of contraception and has won court cases exempting his company from doing so.
While Green and Hobby Lobby have received support from Catholic organizations and bishops in their legal battles, it is important to note that Green and his family are evangelical Protestants, not Catholic.
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Frequently asked questions
No, David Green is not a Catholic. He is an evangelical Protestant.
David Green is a devout Christian. He is the son of a preacher and grew up in a religious family.
David Green has stated that he believes certain contraceptive methods effectively induce abortions. He has also said that he does not believe employers should be forced to provide contraceptive coverage for their employees.
David Green is against abortion. He has refused to cover abortion-inducing drugs in Hobby Lobby's employee health insurance.
Yes, David Green is a major financial supporter of Evangelical organizations in the United States. He has donated significant amounts of money to various evangelical ministries and charities.
