Nearly all presidents have been Christians
Pew Research Center
 

 

January 20, 2021

 

Religion & Public Life

 

A weekly digest of the Center's latest research on religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world · Subscribe ↗

 

 
 

Biden is only the second Catholic president, but nearly all have been Christians

 

Much has been written about President Joe Biden’s Catholic faith. He often speaks of his religious convictions and quotes the Bible, and he attends Mass regularly.

Although about one-in-five U.S. adults are Catholic and Catholicism has long been one of the nation’s largest religious groups, John F. Kennedy was the only Catholic president until Biden was sworn in. Aside from Biden, only one other Catholic, John Kerry, has been a presidential nominee on a major party ticket since Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.

The U.S. Constitution famously prohibits any religious test or requirement for public office. Still, almost all of the nation’s presidents have been Christians and many have been Episcopalians or Presbyterians, with most of the rest belonging to other prominent Protestant denominations.

 
 

Media mentions

 

All the ways Biden and Harris (and their families) are making Jewish history on Inauguration Day
Jan. 19 - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Joe Biden will be only the second Catholic president – and a conundrum for the faithful
Jan. 15 - NorthJersey.com
 

 

In the news

 

Biden attends Mass before taking oath of office
Jan. 20 - The Washington Post *

‘Psychological trauma and stress’: The lasting impact of the ‘Muslim ban’
Jan. 20 - NBC News

In Biden’s cabinet, Catholics and Jews dominate
Jan. 19 - Religion News Service

U.S. says China’s repression of Uighurs is ‘genocide’
Jan. 19 - The New York Times *

‘A place to fund hope’: How Proud Boys and other fringe groups found refuge on a Christian fundraising website
Jan. 18 - The Washington Post *

Tackle French ‘abuse’ of Muslims, civil society groups tell UN
Jan. 18 - Al Jazeera

Thousands of churches in England opt to close over COVID fears
Jan. 17 - The Guardian

Leaked transcript shows NY church’s attempt to block Child Victims Act
Jan. 14 - NBC News

Pope Francis and former Pope Benedict get first dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Jan. 14 - CNN

Israel hopes to vaccinate Holocaust survivors to save and repay ‘treasured’ population
Jan. 14 - Religion News Service
 

 
 

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