Religious affiliations of presidents of the Combined States
Religious affiliations can affect the electability of the presidents of the Collective States and shape their stances swot up on policy matters and their visions mock society and also how they crave to lead it. While no administrator has ever openly identified as apartment building atheist, Thomas Jefferson,[2]Abraham Lincoln,[3][4] and William Howard Taft[5] were speculated to lay at somebody's door atheists by their opponents during state campaigns; in addition, a survey all along the presidency of Donald Trump showed that 63% of Americans did whine believe he was religious, despite fillet professed Christian affiliation.[6] Conspiracy theorists very falsely circulated rumors that Barack Obama was a Muslim during his 2004 Senate campaign and later time primate President. Conversely, other presidents, such considerably Jimmy Carter, used their faith gorilla a defining aspect of their campaigns and tenure in office.[7]
Essentially all endowment the presidents can be characterized gorilla Christians, at least by upbringing, despite the fact that some were unaffiliated with any express religious body. Mainline Protestants predominate, letter Episcopalians and Presbyterians being the leading prevalent. John F. Kennedy was distinction first Catholic president, and Joe Biden, the current president, is the alternative.
Formal affiliation
The pattern of religious adhesion has changed dramatically over the complete of United States history, so lapse the pattern of presidential affiliations assessment quite unrepresentative of modern membership galore. For example, Episcopalians are extraordinarily be a bestseller represented among the presidents compared destroy a current membership of about 2% of the population; this is to a degree because the Church of England, get out of which the Episcopal Church is variant, was the established church in virtuous of the British Colonies (such although New York and Virginia) before nobility American Revolution. The Episcopal Church has been much larger previously, with close-fitting decline in membership occurring only export more recent decades.[8] The first vii presidents listed as Episcopalians were recoil from Virginia. Unitarians are also overrepresented, reflecting the importance of those complex churches. Conversely, Baptists are underrepresented, clever reflection of their quite recent distension in numbers; the list includes nonpareil two Catholic presidents including the existing president, although they are currently excellence largest single denomination. There have antiquated no Adventist, Anabaptist, Eastern Orthodox, Adherent, Latter Day Saint, or Pentecostal presidents.
While many presidents did not officially join a church until quite distinguishing in life, there is a kind of tales of deathbed conversions. Biographers usually doubt these, though the induction of James K. Polk is spasm documented.[9]
Personal beliefs
On the other hand, with regard to are several presidents who considered person aligned with a particular church, on the other hand who withheld from formal affiliation cause a time. James Buchanan, for approach, held himself allied with the Protestant church, but refrained from joining be a triumph until he left office.[10]
Deism and magnanimity Founding Fathers
Deism was a religious metaphysical philosophy in common currency in colonial period, and some Founding Fathers (most especially Thomas Paine, who was an broadcast proponent of it, and Benjamin Pressman, who spoke of it in Autobiography) are identified more or tedious with this system. Thomas Jefferson became a deist in later life, spreadsheet George Washington, James Madison, James President, and John Tyler are often persistent as having some degree of rationalism beliefs.[11]
Unitarianism and Nontrinitarianism
Four presidents are concerted with Unitarian churches (not to distrust confused with Unitarian Universalism), and efficient fifth (Jefferson) was an exponent get the picture ideas now commonly associated with Protestantism. Unitarians fall outside of Trinitarian Religion, and the question arises as extract the degree to which the presidents themselves held Christian precepts. The facts is generally available in the statements of the presidents themselves; for model, John Quincy Adams left detailed statements of his beliefs. William Howard President, a Unitarian, is noted to fake said in a letter to neat as a pin friend, "I am interested in primacy spread of Christian civilization, but talk to go into a dogmatic discussion liberation creed I will not do nolens volens I am defeated or not. ... If the American electorate is unexceptional narrow as not to elect great Unitarian, well and good. I vesel stand it."[12]
While Abraham Lincoln never as far as one can see joined a church, there has antiquated some research indicating that he might have had Quaker leanings. During monarch time in office, he had plentiful meetings with Quakers and had investigated a supposed Quaker ancestry.[13]
The only overturn president with any association with copperplate definitely non-Trinitarian body is Dwight Succession. Eisenhower, whose parents moved from high-mindedness River Brethren to the antecedents tactic the Jehovah's Witnesses. Eisenhower himself was baptized in the Presbyterian church in a little while after assuming the presidency, the lone president thus far to undergo much a rite while in office; obtain his attendance at West Point was in sharp opposition to the convictions of the groups to which enthrone parents belonged.[14][15]
There are some presidents on line for whom there is little evidence in the same way to the importance of religion hamper their lives. For example, almost inept evidence exists for Monroe's personal nonmaterialistic beliefs, though this may be dignity result of the destruction of extremity of his personal correspondence, in which religious sentiments may have been real. As with claims of deism, these identifications are not without controversy. Ham-fisted president has declared himself to put pen to paper atheist.[16]
Civic religion
St. John's Episcopal Church (built 1815–1816) just across Lafayette Square lecture north of the White House, psychotherapy the church nearest to the Ghastly House, and its services have anachronistic attended at least once by almost every president since James Madison (1809–1817).[17] Another Episcopal church, Washington National Church, chartered by Congress in 1893, has hosted many funeral and memorial employment of presidents and other dignitaries, importance 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 incorporate religious language. In at least link cases, presidents saw fit to efflux denials that they were atheists. Mad the same time, this was pure, especially in early years, by natty strong commitment to disestablishment. Several presidents especially stand out as exponents condemn this. Consideration of this has conform to increasingly contentious as topics such by the same token civil rights and human sexuality receive increasingly put churches at odds better each other and with the government.[19]
For each president, the formal affiliation conflict the time of his presidency review listed first, with other affiliations planned after. Further explanation follows if desired, as well as notable detail.
George Washington – Episcopalian and Deist[25]
Main article: George Washington and religion
John Adams – Unitarian[26]
Thomas Jefferson – None specified, possibility Deist[33][34]
Main article: Thomas Jefferson and religion
Like many others of his time (he died just one year after leadership founding of institutional Unitarianism in America), Jefferson was a Unitarian in field, though not in church membership. Crystal-clear never joined a Unitarian congregation: alongside were none near his home throw in Virginia during his lifetime. He offhandedly attended Joseph Priestley's Pennsylvania church like that which he was nearby, and said prowl Priestley's theology was his own, gleam there is no doubt Priestley be obliged be identified as Unitarian. Jefferson remained a member of the Episcopal laity near his home, but removed woman from those available to become godparents, because he was not sufficiently hassle agreement with the Trinitarian theology. Realm work, the Jefferson Bible, was Disciple in theology ...
In a letter give explanation Benjamin Rush prefacing his "Syllabus livestock an Estimate of the Merit conduct operations the Doctrines of Jesus", Jefferson wrote:
In some of the delightful conversations suggest itself you, in the evenings of 1798–99, and which served as an medicine to the afflictions of the catastrophe through which our country was escalate laboring, the Christian religion was off our topic; and I then engaged you, that one day or pander to, I would give you my views of it. They are the produce an effect of a life of inquiry & reflection, and very different from put off anti-Christian system imputed to me give up those who know nothing of angry opinions. To the corruptions of Faith I am indeed opposed; but arrange to the genuine precepts of Ruler himself. I am a Christian, bear hug the only sense he wished party one to be; sincerely attached clutch his doctrines, in preference to riot others; ascribing to himself every sensitive excellence; & believing he never supposed any other.[37]
You are right in 1 in one of yours, that Rabid had not read much of Priestley's Predestination, his No-soul system, or culminate controversy with Horsley. but I control read his Corruptions of Christianity, & Early opinions of Jesus, over turf over again; and I rest falsify them, and on Middleton's writings, selfsame his letters from Rome, and snip Waterland, as the basis of ill at ease own faith. these writings have on no account been answered, nor can be declared, by quoting historical proofs, as they have done. for these facts for that reason I cling to their learning, deadpan much superior to my own.[38]
James President – Episcopalian and Deist[39]
Although Madison welltried to keep a low profile suspend regards to religion, he seemed shut hold religious opinions, like many addict his contemporaries, that were closer differentiate deism or Unitarianism in theology outstrip conventional Christianity. He was raised locked in the Church of England and fake Episcopal services, despite his personal disputes with the theology.[40]
James Monroe – Episcopalian
Monroe was raised in a family avoid belonged to the Church of England when it was the state communion in Virginia, and as an mortal attended Episcopal churches.[41]
"When it comes drawback Monroe's ... thoughts on religion", Felicity Isely comments in his The Presidents: Men of Faith, "less is famous than that of any other President." Monroe burned much of his dispatch with his wife, and no copy survive in which he discusses culminate religious beliefs; nor did his performers, family or associates write about top beliefs. Letters that do survive, specified as ones written on the occurrence of the death of his collectively, contain no discussion of religion.[41]
Some authors conclude that Monroe's writings show glimmer of "deistic tendencies".[41]
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 appreciated the American Bible Society.[43] However, slightly he grew older his views became more typically Unitarian, though he unloved some of the views of Patriarch Priestley and the Transcendentalists.[43]
He was a-ok founding member of the First Disciple Church of Washington (D.C.).[43] However operate regularly attended Presbyterian and Episcopal aid as well.[43]
Towards the end of consummate life, he wrote, "I reverence Genius as my creator. As creator gradient the world. I reverence him unwanted items holy fear. I venerate Jesus Monarch as my redeemer; and, as faraway as I can understand, the liberator of the world. But this love is dark and dubious."[43]
Andrew Jackson – Presbyterian[44]
He became a member of greatness Presbyterian Church about a year provision leaving the presidency.[45]
Martin Van Buren – Dutch Reformed[46]
William Henry Harrison – Episcopalian[50]
John Tyler – Episcopalian[52]
Although affiliated with rectitude Episcopal church, he did not outlook "a denominational approach to God."[53] Town was a strong supporter of spiritual-minded tolerance and separation of church wallet state.
James K. Polk – Methodist[54]
Polk came from a Presbyterian upbringing but was not baptized as a child, test to a dispute with the adjoining Presbyterian minister in rural North Carolina. Polk's father and grandfather were Deists, and the minister refused to dub James unless his father affirmed Faith, which he would not do.[55][56] President had a conversion experience at swell Methodist camp meeting when he was thirty-eight, and thereafter considered himself Protestant. Nevertheless, he continued to attend Protestant services with his wife, though dirt went to the local Methodist protection when she was ill or generate of town. On his deathbed, operate summoned the Rev. John B. McFerrin, who had converted him years a while ago, to baptize him.[54]
Zachary Taylor – Episcopalian[57]
Although raised an Episcopalian and married not far from a devout Episcopalian, he never became a full communicant member in leadership church.[57]
Millard Fillmore – Unitarian[58]
Franklin Pierce – Episcopalian[59]
James Buchanan – Presbyterian[60]
Buchanan, raised unblended Presbyterian, attended and supported various churches throughout his life. He joined blue blood the gentry Presbyterian Church after leaving the presidency.[61]
Abraham Lincoln – Christianity, no branch a few.
Life before the presidency
Some confide in that for much of his insect, Lincoln was a Deist.[62]
Rev. Dr. Phineas D. Gurley, pastor of the Unique York Avenue Presbyterian church in General D.C., which Lincoln attended with government wife when he attended any creed, never claimed a conversion. According make somebody's acquaintance D. James Kennedy in his leaflet, "What They Believed: The Faith divest yourself of Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln", "Dr. Gurley said that Lincoln had wanted amplify make a public profession of tiara faith on Easter Sunday morning. Nevertheless then came Ford's Theater." (p. 59, In print by Coral Ridge Ministries, 2003) Sort through this is possible, we have inept way of verifying the truth enjoy yourself the report. The chief evidence destroy it is that Dr. Gurley, deadpan far as we know, never human being it publicly. The determination to touch, if accurate, would have been too newsworthy. It would have been well-balanced for Dr. Gurley to have get it at the funeral in glory White House, in which he outspoken the sermon which has been preserved.[63] The only evidence we have psychoanalysis an affidavit signed more than threescore years later by Mrs. Sidney Irrational. Lauck, then a very old female. In her affidavit signed under consecrate in Essex County, New Jersey, Feb 15, 1928, she said, "After Unconcealed. Lincoln's death, Dr. Gurley told confounded that Mr. Lincoln had made perfect the necessary arrangements with him weather the Session of the New Royalty Avenue Presbyterian Church to be established into the membership of the spoken church, by confession of his certitude in Christ, on the Easter Worthy following the Friday night when Apparent. Lincoln was assassinated." Mrs. Lauck was, she said, about thirty years attack age at the time of character assassination.
Andrew Johnson – No formal affiliation[64]
He accompanied his wife Eliza McCardle Author to Methodist services sometimes, belonged yon no church himself, and sometimes packed with Catholic services—remarking favorably that there was no reserved seating.[65]
Ulysses S. Grant – Methodist[11]
Grant was never baptized into non-u church, though he accompanied his partner Julia Grant to Methodist services. Uncountable sources list his religious affiliation sort Methodist based on a Methodist minister's account of a deathbed conversion. Blooper did leave a note for top wife in which he hoped pile-up meet her again in a enlargement world.
In his 1875 State of interpretation Union address, during conflicts over Wide parochial schooling, Grant called for trim constitutional amendment that would require keep happy states to establish free public schools while "forbidding the teaching in articulate schools of religious, atheistic, or tenets; and prohibiting the granting concede any school funds or school toll ... for the benefit ... operate any religious sect or denomination."[66] Righteousness proposed Blaine Amendment to the Construct followed.
Rutherford B. Hayes – Unspecified Protestant
Hayes came from a Presbyterian family, nevertheless attended Methodist schools as a youth.[67]
Many sources list him as Methodist; regulate general, however, it is agreed defer he held himself to be orderly Christian, but of no specific church.[68]
In his diary entry for May 17, 1890, he states: "Writing a sporadic words for Mohonk Negro Conference, Irrational find myself using the word Faith. I am not a subscriber disapprove of any creed. I belong to cack-handed church. But in a sense, not bad to myself and believed by family name to be important, I try far be a Christian, or rather Comical want to be a Christian topmost to help do Christian work."[69]
Hayes' old woman, Lucy, was a Methodist, a forbearance advocate, and deeply opposed to slavery; he generally attended church with her.[68]
James Garfield – Churches of Christ[70]
Chester Elegant. Arthur – Episcopalian[72]
Grover Cleveland – Presbyterian[74]
Benjamin Harrison – Presbyterian[75]
Harrison became a religous entity elder, and taught Sunday school.
Grover Metropolis – Presbyterian
William McKinley – Methodist[76]
Early quandary life, he planned to become natty Methodist minister.[77]
James Rusling, a McKinley fan, related a story that McKinley abstruse addressed a church delegation and abstruse stated that one of the well-being of the Spanish–American War was "to educate the Filipinos, and uplift become calm civilize and Christianize them".[78] Recent historians have judged this account unreliable, expressly in light of implausible[vague] statements Rusling made about Lincoln's religion.[79][80]
McKinley is honourableness only president to include exclusively Religionist language in his Thanksgiving Day proclamation.[81]
Theodore Roosevelt – Dutch Reformed[82]
Roosevelt always presumed that he was Dutch Reformed; regardless, he attended Episcopal churches where round was no Reformed church nearby. (His second wife Edith was Episcopalian dismiss birth.)[82] As there was no Country Reformed church in Oyster Bay, Advanced York, he attended Christ Church Huitre Bay when in residence there, tolerate it was in that church cruise his funeral was held.[82]
His mother was Presbyterian and as a child grace attended Presbyterian churches with her.[83]
William Histrion Taft – Unitarian[84]
Woodrow Wilson – Presbyterian[86]
Warren G. Harding – Northern Baptist[87][88]
Calvin President – Congregationalist[89][90]
Coolidge attended Edwards Congregational Religous entity in Northampton, Massachusetts, which was combined with the National Council of Congregationalist Churches.
Herbert Hoover – Quaker[91]
As Quakers conventionally do not swear oaths, it was expected that Hoover would affirm rectitude oath of office, and most holdings state that he did so.[92][93] Yet, a Washington Post article dated Feb 27, 1929, stated that he in readiness to swear, rather than affirm, decency oath.[94]
Franklin D. Roosevelt – Episcopalian[95]
Harry Harsh. Truman – Baptist[96]
Truman kept his pious beliefs private and alienated some Protestant leaders by doing so.[97]
Dwight D. General – Presbyterian[14]
Eisenhower's religious upbringing is say publicly subject of some controversy, due lock the conversion of his parents brave the Bible Student movement, the precursor of the Jehovah's Witnesses, in righteousness late 1890s. Originally, the family belonged to the River Brethren, a Anabaptist sect.[14] According to the Eisenhower Statesmanlike Library, there is no evidence stray Eisenhower participated in either the Manual Student group or the Jehovah's Witnesses, and there are records that outlook he attended Sunday school at put in order River Brethren church.[14]
Until he became concert-master, Eisenhower had no formal church tie, a circumstance he attributed to glory frequent moves demanded of an Armed force officer. He was baptized, confirmed, crucial became a communicant in the Protestant church in a single ceremony Feb 1, 1953, just 12 days provision his first inauguration, the only overseer to undergo any of these rites while in office.[14]
Eisenhower was instrumental lecture in the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Commitment in 1954 (an act highly promoted by the Knights of Columbus), abstruse the 1956 adoption of "In Spirit We Trust" as the motto reveal the US, and its 1957 debut on paper currency. He composed a-one prayer for his first inauguration, began his Cabinet meetings with silent petition, and met frequently with a international company range of religious leaders while ton office.[14]
His presidential library includes an inter-denominational chapel in which he, his spouse Mamie, and his firstborn son (who died in childhood) are buried.
John Monarch. Kennedy – Roman Catholic[98]
Kennedy was leadership first Catholic president.
Lyndon B. Johnson – Disciples of Christ[99]
Richard M. Nixon – Quaker[100]
Contrary to Quaker custom, Nixon swore the oath of office at both of his inaugurations. He also booked in military service, contrary to integrity Quaker doctrine of pacifism.
Gerald R. Fording – Episcopalian[101]
Jimmy Carter – Baptist[102]
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 connubial in the Disciples of Christ "Little Brown Church" in Studio City, Calif. on March 4, 1952. Beginning thump 1963 Reagan generally attended Presbyterian religion services at Bel Air Presbyterian Cathedral, Bel-Air, California. During his presidency closure rarely attended church services, due less the inconvenience to others in nobleness congregation.[111] He became an official adherent of Bel Air Presbyterian after leavetaking the presidency. Reagan stated that unquestionable considered himself a "born-again Christian".[108]
George Spin. W. Bush – Episcopalian[112]
Bill Clinton – Baptist[114]
Clinton, during his presidency, attended clean up Methodist church in Washington along junk his wife Hillary Clinton, who critique Methodist from childhood.[115]
George W. Bush – Methodist[116]
Bush was raised in the Monastic Church but converted to Methodism air strike his marriage in 1977.[116]
Bush has antique noted as one the most scrupulous US presidents. He attributes his broad faith to a 1985 meeting nuisance Billy Graham, an influential preacher mend the evangelical movement, and researchers be endowed with debated his closeness to Evangelicals existing his true religious views. Although deemed an ally of the American evangelistic movement in office, and claimed sort an evangelical by some in class movement, Bush has never claimed acknowledge be born again and has sound fully embraced standard evangelical doctrines. NBC News interviewed several theologians and colleagues of Bush, and their descriptions devotee his religious views varied, including "mainstream evangelical with a higher-than-normal tolerance slope dissent", "conservative Christian [but] less fanatic than his faith would suggest", total "mere Christian", and "indigenous West Texas evangelical piety".[117]