October 27, 2015
Lincoln's Faith in God
By Gordon Leidner of Great American History
| COMMENT: Considering the rise of religious discussion in today’s political environment, it would be interesting to note that there has always been a flowing undercurrent of the same issues in the past. Books and articles reveal the differing opinions and conclusions. |
Lincoln's relationship with God is a subject highly debated by historians and students of history. Some say Lincoln was an unbeliever, or at least a skeptic, of Christianity. A few say he was an atheist. Many say he was a "deeply religious" man that daily sought God's guidance.
What were Abraham Lincoln's religious beliefs? Was he a Christian? A deist? Or, was he a theistic rationalist, like many of America's Founding Fathers were?
Many books have been written on the subject of Lincoln's religion. When one reads Lincoln's presidential speeches and letters, filled with his references to the Bible and demonstrative of his dependence on prayer for God's guidance, it is difficult to comprehend why anyone would perceive President Lincoln as anything but a man that sincerely depended on God.
It is true that Lincoln never joined a church, although he attended church services regularly while President. The reason he gave for refusing to join a church was that he could "never be satisfied" with all the dogmas and creeds that the denominational churches of his day required. On this subject Lincoln wrote:
"When any church will inscribe over its altar, as its sole qualification for membership, the Savior's condensed statement of the substance of both law and Gospel, 'Thou shalt love the lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and thy neighbor as thyself' that church will I join with all my heart and all my soul."
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http://www.greatamericanhistory.net/lincolnsfaith.htm