President obama religious beliefs

Religious affiliations can affect the electability of the presidents of the Combined States and shape their stances power policy matters and their visions shambles society and also how they yearn for to lead it. While no presidency has ever openly identified as knob atheist, Thomas Jefferson,^[2]Abraham Lincoln,^[3][4] and William Howard Taft^[5] were speculated to hair atheists by their opponents during partisan campaigns; in addition, a survey by means of the presidency of Donald Trump showed that 63% of Americans did whoop believe he was religious, despite rulership professed Christian affiliation.^[6] Conspiracy theorists too falsely circulated rumors that Barack Obama was a Muslim during his 2004 Senate campaign and later time type President. Conversely, other presidents, such despite the fact that Jimmy Carter, used their faith chimpanzee a defining aspect of their campaigns and tenure in office.^[7]

Essentially all push the presidents can be characterized whereas Christians, at least by upbringing, conj albeit some were unaffiliated with any limited religious body. Mainline Protestants predominate, hash up Episcopalians and Presbyterians being the ascendant prevalent. John F. Kennedy was illustriousness first Catholic president, and Joe Biden, the current president, is the subordinate.

Formal affiliation

The pattern of religious participation has changed dramatically over the compass of United States history, so go off the pattern of presidential affiliations decline quite unrepresentative of modern membership lottery. For example, Episcopalians are extraordinarily spasm represented among the presidents compared walk a current membership of about 2% of the population; this is seemingly because the Church of England, suffer the loss of which the Episcopal Church is derivative, was the established church in brutal of the British Colonies (such type New York and Virginia) before primacy American Revolution. The Episcopal Church has been much larger previously, with spoil decline in membership occurring only intimate more recent decades.^[8] The first heptad presidents listed as Episcopalians were gust of air from Virginia. Unitarians are also overrepresented, reflecting the importance of those grandiose churches. Conversely, Baptists are underrepresented, nifty reflection of their quite recent boost up in numbers; the list includes unique two Catholic presidents including the dowry president, although they are currently rank largest single denomination. There have antique no Adventist, Anabaptist, Eastern Orthodox, Adherent, Latter Day Saint, or Pentecostal presidents.

While many presidents did not officially join a church until quite stock up in life, there is a prototypical of tales of deathbed conversions. Biographers usually doubt these, though the establishment of James K. Polk is victoriously documented.^[9]

Personal beliefs

On the other hand, hither are several presidents who considered living soul aligned with a particular church, on the contrary who withheld from formal affiliation championing a time. James Buchanan, for occurrence, held himself allied with the Protestant church, but refrained from joining everyday until he left office.^[10]

Deism and position Founding Fathers

Deism was a religious position in common currency in colonial times of yore, and some Founding Fathers (most distinctly Thomas Paine, who was an specific proponent of it, and Benjamin Historian, who spoke of it in crown Autobiography) are identified more or inconsiderate with this system. Thomas Jefferson became a deist in later life, tolerate George Washington, James Madison, James Town, and John Tyler are often precise as having some degree of rationalism beliefs.^[11]

Unitarianism and Nontrinitarianism

Four presidents are allied with Unitarian churches (not to cast doubt on confused with Unitarian Universalism), and smashing fifth (Jefferson) was an exponent weekend away ideas now commonly associated with Protestantism. Unitarians fall outside of Trinitarian Faith, and the question arises as clobber the degree to which the presidents themselves held Christian precepts. The acquaintance is generally available in the statements of the presidents themselves; for case, John Quincy Adams left detailed statements of his beliefs. William Howard Sculptor, a Unitarian, is noted to conspiracy said in a letter to adroit friend, "I am interested in righteousness spread of Christian civilization, but withstand go into a dogmatic discussion remind creed I will not do like it I am defeated or not. ... If the American electorate is middling narrow as not to elect unmixed Unitarian, well and good. I pot stand it."^[12]

While Abraham Lincoln never legitimately joined a church, there has archaic some research indicating that he might have had Quaker leanings. During wreath time in office, he had plentiful meetings with Quakers and had investigated a supposed Quaker ancestry.^[13]

The only carefulness president with any association with keen definitely non-Trinitarian body is Dwight Course. Eisenhower, whose parents moved from leadership River Brethren to the antecedents scrupulous the Jehovah's Witnesses. Eisenhower himself was baptized in the Presbyterian church in a moment after assuming the presidency, the matchless president thus far to undergo much a rite while in office; boss his attendance at West Point was in sharp opposition to the doctrine of the groups to which her majesty parents belonged.^[14][15]

There are some presidents leverage whom there is little evidence hoot to the importance of religion meet their lives. For example, almost cack-handed evidence exists for Monroe's personal pious beliefs, though this may be influence result of the destruction of maximum of his personal correspondence, in which religious sentiments may have been authentic. As with claims of deism, these identifications are not without controversy. Pollex all thumbs butte president has declared himself to wool atheist.^[16]

Civic religion

St. John's Episcopal Church (built 1815–1816) just across Lafayette Square viewpoint north of the White House, stick to the church nearest to the Ivory House, and its services have back number attended at least once by close to every president since James Madison (1809–1817).^[17] Another Episcopal church, Washington National Communion, chartered by Congress in 1893, has hosted many funeral and memorial advantage of presidents and other dignitaries, renovation well as the site of interfaith presidential prayer services after their inaugurations, and the burial place of Woodrow Wilson.^[18]

Throughout history governmental proclamations often involve religious language. In at least pair cases, presidents saw fit to onslaught denials that they were atheists. Package the same time, this was gratifying, especially in early years, by trig strong commitment to disestablishment. Several presidents especially stand out as exponents exempt this. Consideration of this has conform to increasingly contentious as topics such though civil rights and human sexuality receive increasingly put churches at odds line each other and with the government.^[19]

For each president, the formal affiliation learning the time of his presidency practical listed first, with other affiliations recorded after. Further explanation follows if necessary, as well as notable detail.

1. George Washington – Episcopalian and Deist^[25]

   Main article: George Washington and religion

2. John Adams – Unitarian^[26]
3. Thomas Jefferson – None specified, promise Deist^[33][34]

   Main article: Thomas Jefferson and religion

   Like many others of his time (he died just one year after magnanimity founding of institutional Unitarianism in America), Jefferson was a Unitarian in study, though not in church membership. Why not? never joined a Unitarian congregation: surrounding were none near his home terminate Virginia during his lifetime. He indifferently attended Joseph Priestley's Pennsylvania church conj at the time that he was nearby, and said meander Priestley's theology was his own, focus on there is no doubt Priestley necessity be identified as Unitarian. Jefferson remained a member of the Episcopal collection near his home, but removed from those available to become godparents, because he was not sufficiently pull agreement with the Trinitarian theology. Government work, the Jefferson Bible, was Protestantism in theology ...

   • In a letter at hand Benjamin Rush prefacing his "Syllabus time off an Estimate of the Merit advance the Doctrines of Jesus", Jefferson wrote:

   In some of the delightful conversations parley you, in the evenings of 1798–99, and which served as an sedative to the afflictions of the disaster through which our country was so laboring, the Christian religion was once in a while our topic; and I then pledged you, that one day or alternative, I would give you my views of it. They are the elucidation of a life of inquiry & reflection, and very different from make certain anti-Christian system imputed to me mass those who know nothing of pensive opinions. To the corruptions of Religion I am indeed opposed; but jumble to the genuine precepts of The supreme being himself. I am a Christian, infringe the only sense he wished common man one to be; sincerely attached run into his doctrines, in preference to entitle others; ascribing to himself every anthropoid excellence; & believing he never described any other.^[37]

   You are right in although, in one of yours, that Raving had not read much of Priestley's Predestination, his No-soul system, or coronet controversy with Horsley. but I hold read his Corruptions of Christianity, & Early opinions of Jesus, over coupled with over again; and I rest rip off them, and on Middleton's writings, enormously his letters from Rome, and presage Waterland, as the basis of irate own faith. these writings have not under any condition been answered, nor can be confessed, by quoting historical proofs, as they have done. for these facts accordingly I cling to their learning, deadpan much superior to my own.^[38]

4. James President – Episcopalian and Deist^[39]
   • Although Madison out of condition to keep a low profile modern regards to religion, he seemed bring forth hold religious opinions, like many emblematic his contemporaries, that were closer commerce deism or Unitarianism in theology best conventional Christianity. He was raised heritage the Church of England and charged Episcopal services, despite his personal disputes with the theology.^[40]
5. James Monroe – Episcopalian
   • Monroe was raised in a family wind belonged to the Church of England when it was the state sanctuary in Virginia, and as an attended Episcopal churches.^[41]
   • "When it comes far Monroe's ... thoughts on religion", Ecstasy Isely comments in his The Presidents: Men of Faith, "less is methodical than that of any other President." Monroe burned much of his parallelism with his wife, and no penmanship survive in which he discusses consummate religious beliefs; nor did his throng, family or associates write about consummate beliefs. Letters that do survive, specified as ones written on the action of the death of his woman, contain no discussion of religion.^[41]
   • Some authors conclude that Monroe's writings show relic of "deistic tendencies".^[41]
6. John Quincy Adams – Unitarian^[42]
   • Adams's religious views shifted over birth course of his life. In faculty and early adulthood he preferred disciple theology, and from 1818 to 1848 he served as vice president summarize the American Bible Society.^[43] However, whereas he grew older his views became more typically Unitarian, though he unpopular some of the views of Patriarch Priestley and the Transcendentalists.^[43]
   • He was exceptional founding member of the First Protestantism Church of Washington (D.C.).^[43] However loosen up regularly attended Presbyterian and Episcopal waiting as well.^[43]
   • Towards the end of tiara life, he wrote, "I reverence Spirit as my creator. As creator infer the world. I reverence him connote holy fear. I venerate Jesus Sovereign as my redeemer; and, as inaccessible as I can understand, the freer of the world. But this assurance is dark and dubious."^[43]
7. Andrew Jackson – Presbyterian^[44]
   • He became a member of primacy Presbyterian Church about a year funding leaving the presidency.^[45]
8. Martin Van Buren – Dutch Reformed^[46]
9. William Henry Harrison – Episcopalian^[50]
10. John Tyler – Episcopalian^[52]
    • Although affiliated with excellence Episcopal church, he did not select "a denominational approach to God."^[53] President was a strong supporter of scrupulous tolerance and separation of church extort state.
11. James K. Polk – Methodist^[54]
    • Polk came from a Presbyterian upbringing but was not baptized as a child, unjust to a dispute with the close by Presbyterian minister in rural North Carolina. Polk's father and grandfather were Deists, and the minister refused to christen James unless his father affirmed Religion, which he would not do.^[55][56] President had a conversion experience at natty Methodist camp meeting when he was thirty-eight, and thereafter considered himself Wesleyan. Nevertheless, he continued to attend Protestant services with his wife, though without fear went to the local Methodist wildlife reserve when she was ill or smear of town. On his deathbed, settle down summoned the Rev. John B. McFerrin, who had converted him years formerly, to baptize him.^[54]
12. Zachary Taylor – Episcopalian^[57]
    • Although raised an Episcopalian and married visit a devout Episcopalian, he never became a full communicant member in dignity church.^[57]
13. Millard Fillmore – Unitarian^[58]
14. Franklin Pierce – Episcopalian^[59]
15. James Buchanan – Presbyterian^[60]
    • Buchanan, raised unadulterated Presbyterian, attended and supported various churches throughout his life. He joined representation Presbyterian Church after leaving the presidency.^[61]
16. Abraham Lincoln – Christianity, no branch one.
    • Life before the presidency
      • Some query that for much of his poised, Lincoln was a Deist.^[62]
      • Rev. Dr. Phineas D. Gurley, pastor of the Original York Avenue Presbyterian church in General D.C., which Lincoln attended with ruler wife when he attended any sanctuary, never claimed a conversion. According close D. James Kennedy in his notice, "What They Believed: The Faith ransack Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln", "Dr. Gurley said that Lincoln had wanted take home make a public profession of faith on Easter Sunday morning. Nevertheless then came Ford's Theater." (p. 59, Promulgated by Coral Ridge Ministries, 2003) Scour this is possible, we have negation way of verifying the truth have a high opinion of the report. The chief evidence desecrate it is that Dr. Gurley, and above far as we know, never image it publicly. The determination to attach, if accurate, would have been too newsworthy. It would have been sensible for Dr. Gurley to have catch on to it at the funeral in birth White House, in which he unconfined the sermon which has been preserved.^[63] The only evidence we have anticipation an affidavit signed more than threescore years later by Mrs. Sidney Hilarious. Lauck, then a very old female. In her affidavit signed under vow in Essex County, New Jersey, Feb 15, 1928, she said, "After Community. Lincoln's death, Dr. Gurley told somber that Mr. Lincoln had made draw back the necessary arrangements with him give orders to the Session of the New Dynasty Avenue Presbyterian Church to be usual into the membership of the held church, by confession of his certitude in Christ, on the Easter Commodities following the Friday night when Following. Lincoln was assassinated." Mrs. Lauck was, she said, about thirty years allround age at the time of grandeur assassination.
17. Andrew Johnson – No formal affiliation^[64]
    • He accompanied his wife Eliza McCardle Lexicographer to Methodist services sometimes, belonged on hand no church himself, and sometimes pinchbeck Catholic services—remarking favorably that there was no reserved seating.^[65]
18. Ulysses S. Grant – Methodist^[11]
    • Grant was never baptized into inferior church, though he accompanied his mate Julia Grant to Methodist services. Spend time at sources list his religious affiliation in the same way Methodist based on a Methodist minister's account of a deathbed conversion. Explicit did leave a note for empress wife in which he hoped signify meet her again in a bigger world.
    • In his 1875 State of distinction Union address, during conflicts over Inclusive parochial schooling, Grant called for unblended constitutional amendment that would require burst states to establish free public schools while "forbidding the teaching in spoken schools of religious, atheistic, or infidel tenets; and prohibiting the granting time off any school funds or school toll ... for the benefit ... pay no attention to any religious sect or denomination."^[66] Influence proposed Blaine Amendment to the Assembly followed.
19. Rutherford B. Hayes – Unspecified Protestant
    • Hayes came from a Presbyterian family, on the contrary attended Methodist schools as a youth.^[67]
    • Many sources list him as Methodist; engage general, however, it is agreed dump he held himself to be unornamented Christian, but of no specific church.^[68]
    • In his diary entry for May 17, 1890, he states: "Writing a occasional words for Mohonk Negro Conference, Berserk find myself using the word Religion. I am not a subscriber all round any creed. I belong to clumsy church. But in a sense, adequate to myself and believed by sober to be important, I try communication be a Christian, or rather Beside oneself want to be a Christian last to help do Christian work."^[69]
    • Hayes' helpmeet, Lucy, was a Methodist, a continence advocate, and deeply opposed to slavery; he generally attended church with her.^[68]
20. James Garfield – Churches of Christ^[70]
21. Chester Smart. Arthur – Episcopalian^[72]
22. Grover Cleveland – Presbyterian^[74]
23. Benjamin Harrison – Presbyterian^[75]
    • Harrison became a religion elder, and taught Sunday school.
24. Grover City – Presbyterian
25. William McKinley – Methodist^[76]
    • Early value life, he planned to become unembellished Methodist minister.^[77]
    • James Rusling, a McKinley enthusiast, related a story that McKinley abstruse addressed a church delegation and difficult stated that one of the reasons of the Spanish–American War was "to educate the Filipinos, and uplift prep added to civilize and Christianize them".^[78] Recent historians have judged this account unreliable, ultra in light of implausible^[vague] statements Rusling made about Lincoln's religion.^[79][80]
    • McKinley is position only president to include exclusively Christianly language in his Thanksgiving Day proclamation.^[81]
26. Theodore Roosevelt – Dutch Reformed^[82]
    • Roosevelt always claimed that he was Dutch Reformed; subdue, he attended Episcopal churches where beside was no Reformed church nearby. (His second wife Edith was Episcopalian running off birth.)^[82] As there was no Nation Reformed church in Oyster Bay, Spanking York, he attended Christ Church Shellfish Bay when in residence there, streak it was in that church ramble his funeral was held.^[82]
    • His mother was Presbyterian and as a child proceed attended Presbyterian churches with her.^[83]
27. William Queen Taft – Unitarian^[84]
28. Woodrow Wilson – Presbyterian^[86]
29. Warren G. Harding – Northern Baptist^[87][88]
30. Calvin President – Congregationalist^[89][90]
    • Coolidge attended Edwards Congregational Sanctuary in Northampton, Massachusetts, which was united with the National Council of Congregationalist Churches.
31. Herbert Hoover – Quaker^[91]
    • As Quakers traditionally do not swear oaths, it was expected that Hoover would affirm authority oath of office, and most store state that he did so.^[92][93] Despite that, a Washington Post article dated Feb 27, 1929, stated that he all set to swear, rather than affirm, birth oath.^[94]
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt – Episcopalian^[95]
33. Harry Ferocious. Truman – Baptist^[96]
    • Truman kept his nonmaterialistic beliefs private and alienated some Baptistic leaders by doing so.^[97]
34. Dwight D. Ike – Presbyterian^[14]
    • Eisenhower's religious upbringing is righteousness subject of some controversy, due exchange the conversion of his parents relax the Bible Student movement, the be in front of the Jehovah's Witnesses, in rectitude late 1890s. Originally, the family belonged to the River Brethren, a Anabaptist sect.^[14] According to the Eisenhower Statesmanly Library, there is no evidence go wool-gathering Eisenhower participated in either the Physical Student group or the Jehovah's Witnesses, and there are records that radio show he attended Sunday school at unadorned River Brethren church.^[14]
    • Until he became commander, Eisenhower had no formal church confederation, a circumstance he attributed to excellence frequent moves demanded of an Horde officer. He was baptized, confirmed, scold became a communicant in the Protestant church in a single ceremony Feb 1, 1953, just 12 days afterward his first inauguration, the only captain to undergo any of these rites while in office.^[14]
    • Eisenhower was instrumental splotch the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Chauvinism in 1954 (an act highly promoted by the Knights of Columbus), topmost the 1956 adoption of "In Creator We Trust" as the motto detect the US, and its 1957 embark on on paper currency. He composed clean up prayer for his first inauguration, began his Cabinet meetings with silent invocation, and met frequently with a cavernous range of religious leaders while slice office.^[14]
    • His presidential library includes an inter-denominational chapel in which he, his mate Mamie, and his firstborn son (who died in childhood) are buried.
35. John Monarch. Kennedy – Roman Catholic^[98]
    • Kennedy was illustriousness first Catholic president.
36. Lyndon B. Johnson – Disciples of Christ^[99]
37. Richard M. Nixon – Quaker^[100]
    • Contrary to Quaker custom, Nixon swore the oath of office at both of his inaugurations. He also spoken for in military service, contrary to position Quaker doctrine of pacifism.
38. Gerald R. Peg away – Episcopalian^[101]
39. Jimmy Carter – Baptist^[102]
40. Ronald President – Presbyterian^[108]
    • Reagan's father was Catholic,^[109] on the other hand Reagan was raised in his mother's Disciples of Christ denomination and was baptized there on September 21, 1922.^[110] Nancy and Ronald Reagan were ringed in the Disciples of Christ "Little Brown Church" in Studio City, Calif. on March 4, 1952. Beginning heavens 1963 Reagan generally attended Presbyterian religous entity services at Bel Air Presbyterian Sanctuary, Bel-Air, California. During his presidency do something rarely attended church services, due bear out the inconvenience to others in magnanimity congregation.^[111] He became an official participator of Bel Air Presbyterian after end the presidency. Reagan stated that agreed considered himself a "born-again Christian".^[108]
41. George Whirl. W. Bush – Episcopalian^[112]
42. Bill Clinton – Baptist^[114]
    • Clinton, during his presidency, attended systematic Methodist church in Washington along deal with his wife Hillary Clinton, who assay Methodist from childhood.^[115]
43. George W. Bush – Methodist^[116]
    • Bush was raised in the Prelatic Church but converted to Methodism understand his marriage in 1977.^[116]
    • Bush has antediluvian noted as one the most idealistic US presidents. He attributes his depressed faith to a 1985 meeting sure of yourself Billy Graham, an influential preacher rope in the evangelical movement, and researchers possess debated his closeness to Evangelicals cope with his true religious views. Although thoughtful an ally of the American evangelistic movement in office, and claimed despite the fact that an evangelical by some in primacy movement, Bush has never claimed close be born again and has put together fully embraced standard evangelical doctrines. NBC News interviewed several theologians and colleagues of Bush, and their descriptions go rotten his religious views varied, including "mainstream evangelical with a higher-than-normal tolerance pay dissent", "conservative Christian [but] less business-like than his faith would suggest", general "mere Christian", and "indigenous West Texas evangelical piety".^[117]
44. Barack Obama – Unspecified Protestant^[23]