Gleaves Whitney

Introduction: The Importance of Religion To Understanding the Presidency

Religion is a key, but largely underappreciated factor in the actions of many US presidents. Most of the writings about religion and the presidency focus on the religious beliefs and practices of certain chief executives widely known to have been men of deep faith.

Introduction: Religion and the Presidency in Historical Perspective

Religion is a key, but largely underappreciated factor in the actions of many U.S. presidents. For example, major biographies of presidents such as Truman (by McCullough), Eisenhower (by Ambrose), and Reagan (an exception is Kengor’s biography), make only a passing reference or none at all to religion in the lives of these leaders who were all deeply religious men and were guided by faith in many of their major policy decisions.