The Lead

A year ago, churches in the DC Metro Area were all atwitter about where the First Family might be attending church. Since that time, President Obama has only attended church a handful of times in the DC area, but The Washington Post's Anne E. Kornblut claims that the president's spirituality runs deep, and has profound effects:

Obama's spirituality is largely private, but it's influential, advisers say
From The Washington Post's "On Faith" Section

Every morning, sometimes as early as 5:30 a.m., a short religious passage comes across President Obama's BlackBerry, sent by one of his aides.
At other moments, Obama prays privately, his advisers said. And when he takes his family to Camp David on the weekends, a Navy chaplain ministers to them, with the daughters attending a form of Sunday school there.

More than a year into his presidency, Obama has not chosen a church in Washington, and has attended services just four times. No single figure has assumed the role of spiritual adviser -- publicly, at least -- or filled the vacancy created when Obama disavowed his former Chicago pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

When Obama appears at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday morning -- a regular presidential ritual -- it will mark the rare occasion when he puts religion in the foreground. In that appearance, he will discuss "the need for civility in the public square, and how Americans can work together in a spirit of goodwill," a senior administration official said.

Yet close advisers to the president said the role of faith, while subtle, has been noticeable in and around the Obama White House.

Comments (5)

I think the heading "spiritual but not religious" is inaccurate here. Imagine the headache of going to church in a motorcade, with secret service, and requiring everyone else in the congregation to get cleared by secret service. The president's membership in the United Church of Christ is well documented, and as you say, the family takes advantage of the religious resources of Camp David when they are there. I think the President and his family are religious but realistic and considerate.

Donna McNiel

Posted by Rosewindows.blogspot.com | February 4, 2010 1:51 PM

Donna,

Thanks for your answer to the question I posed in the heading, I think you may be onto something. However, a key part of being "religious" in my estimation is having some involvement with a community of faith. Having private worship at Camp David may or may not fit the bill.

You make tremendous points about the disruption that can occur when a president attends any event or occasion. Perhaps the Obamas are being more considerate than other presidents, or perhaps their motivation for not attending church is something else.

Thanks for your considered answer to the question I posed.

Peter Carey+

Posted by petermcarey | February 4, 2010 11:46 PM

Probably because Mr. Obama was criticized for his previous church affiliation with Jeremiah Wright, his strategy seems to be never to decide on a particular congregation. It is an Elizabeth I strategy to welcome suitors but never decide so as to avert war. The downside of the strategy is he appears very weak and indecisive. Some would argue he is indeed weak.

The Massachusetts Senate loss may mean he has lost many of the young people he brought into the political process because he has not stood for progressive values. The independents, in any case, seem less than enchanted with him these days.

Gary Paul Gilbert

Posted by Gary | February 5, 2010 12:14 AM

As I recall, Ronald Reagan justified his failure to attend church by saying it inconvenienced others. As DC churches are used to the drill and not unexcited to have the President worshipping with them, I tend to suspect it's just an excuse.

Posted by Paul Woodrum | February 6, 2010 3:48 PM

Aside from when he crosses the street to attend at the Episcopal Church, Obama's attempts to unobtrusively attend church in DC have not worked out. DC churches might be used to the drill, but parishioners aren't.

Add to that the Secret Service, and post 9/11 environment and you can understand. It's life in a bubble in more ways than church, and it's not the president's fault.

As to Reagan it's true he was never much of a church goer however much we might remember him in association with the religious right. And remember, too, that there was an attack on his life -- proving, to me, that the world isn't ready for presidents to attend church on a regular basis.

Maybe Jimmy Carter was an exception?

And then you have Clinton who famously decided it was a good time to pick up his bible and carry it to church during the Lewinski episode.

Posted by John B. Chilton | February 6, 2010 4:06 PM

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