Grace Thompson
Joe Biden is the second Catholic president of the United States, the first being John F. Kennedy, who was elected in 1960. Biden's Catholic faith is an important part of his identity, and he regularly speaks of his religious convictions and quotes the Bible. Kennedy, on the other hand, had to navigate anti-Catholic prejudice during his campaign and reassure voters that he would uphold the separation of church and state. While Biden is only the second Catholic president, nearly all U.S. presidents have been Christians, with a quarter of them, including George Washington and Franklin Roosevelt, belonging to the Episcopal Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic presidents in US history | 2 |
| Names of Catholic presidents | John F. Kennedy, Joe Biden |
| Year of first Catholic president | 1960 |
| Year of second Catholic president | 2021 |
| Number of Catholic presidential nominees since Kennedy | 2 |
| Names of Catholic presidential nominees | John Kerry |
| Number of Catholic vice presidents | 1 |
| Anti-Catholic prejudice in US politics | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
John F. Kennedy was the first Catholic president
Kennedy's open discussion of his Catholic faith during the campaign marked a notable shift in how candidates addressed their religious beliefs. While Kennedy faced challenges due to anti-Catholic sentiments, his candidacy and subsequent victory paved the way for greater religious diversity in American politics. However, the concerns surrounding Kennedy's faith centred primarily on whether he, as a Catholic, could be trusted with the presidency and whether his allegiance might lie with a foreign power, the Vatican.
Kennedy's victory as the first Catholic president signalled a shift in how Americans viewed the intersection of religion and politics. It indicated a growing acceptance of religious diversity in the nation's highest office. While Kennedy's Catholicism was a point of contention, it did not ultimately prevent him from winning the election. This suggests that while Americans considered a candidate's religious beliefs important, it was not the sole deciding factor in their voting decisions.
The impact of Kennedy's presidency on the perception of Catholic politicians is evident in the election of Joe Biden as the second Catholic president. Biden, unlike Kennedy, has been open about his faith throughout his political career and has frequently referenced his Catholic beliefs in his public remarks. Biden's faith has been a defining aspect of his political brand, and he has not shied away from discussing its influence on his values and policy perspectives.
The contrast between Kennedy and Biden's approaches to their Catholic faith reflects the changing religious landscape in American politics. While Kennedy faced external pressures and prejudices, Biden navigates internal pressures and debates within the Catholic Church, such as abortion and euthanasia. The shift from external to internal pressures demonstrates an increased acceptance of religious diversity in the United States. However, it also highlights the complex dynamics between religious beliefs and political ideologies in the modern era.
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Joe Biden is the second Catholic president
Despite Kennedy's victory, there was not a second Catholic president until Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021. Biden has long been vocal about his faith, which has provided "an enormous sense of solace" amid his personal tragedies. He often speaks of his religious convictions and quotes the Bible, and he attends Mass regularly.
The terrain has shifted since Kennedy's election, and voters react to a candidate's religious beliefs differently today. While Kennedy sought to prove he could be a Catholic president for all Americans, Biden has been called to be the Catholic president of all Catholics, a more challenging undertaking. Catholic leaders will have to choose how they engage with Biden, the nation's second Catholic president.
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Anti-Catholic prejudice in the 1960 election
John F. Kennedy was the first Catholic president of the United States, and his election campaign in 1960 was marred by anti-Catholic prejudice. This prejudice was not new, but rather a continuation of a long history of anti-Catholic sentiment in the United States. From the first Puritan settlers to televangelists, leading political, business, and religious figures had lambasted Catholics as "theological abominations" and "traitorous fifth columnists".
During the 1960 election, Kennedy faced insinuations that he held greater allegiance to the Vatican than to the United States and, therefore, could not be trusted with the presidency. This was a significant issue, as anti-Catholic sentiment had already torpedoed the 1928 candidacy of Al Smith, the only other Catholic to make a serious attempt at the presidency before Kennedy. To address these fears, Kennedy stated:
> I am not the Catholic candidate for president. I am the Democratic Party's candidate for president who also happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public matters – and the Church does not speak for me.
Kennedy's campaign was not without its own controversies. Prior to the Wisconsin primary, Catholic neighbourhoods in Milwaukee were flooded with anti-Catholic pamphlets postmarked from Minnesota. It was assumed that Humphrey's campaign had sent them, and this may have helped tilt voters in Wisconsin away from him.
Kennedy's victory in 1960 was a significant moment in the history of Catholicism in the United States. Despite the anti-Catholic sentiment that had plagued the country for centuries, Kennedy was able to rise above it and secure the nation's highest office. This marked a shift in the acceptance of Catholics in American society and politics, although anti-Catholic sentiment did not disappear entirely.
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Catholic presidents and their relationship with the Vatican
John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden are the only two Catholic presidents in US history. Biden is the nation's second Catholic president, sworn in on January 20. On the morning of his inauguration, Biden attended Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, where Kennedy was mourned nearly six decades earlier.
Kennedy's Catholicism was a huge issue in the 1960 presidential campaign. He was dogged by insinuations that he held greater allegiance to a foreign power, the Vatican, and could therefore not be trusted with the presidency. Kennedy was conscious of how these ingrained prejudices had torpedoed the 1928 candidacy of Al Smith, the only other Catholic to make a serious attempt at the presidency at that time. Kennedy had to overcome this liability on a national scale. He travelled extensively around primarily Protestant West Virginia, where his opponents adapted the tune of "Old Time Religion" as a thinly veiled insult. Kennedy refuted the loyalty question by reminding voters of his distinguished service, and his brother’s death, in World War II. He defeated Senator Hubert Humphrey in the Minnesota primary with 56% of the vote but failed to win a majority of the Protestant vote.
Kennedy travelled to Houston to reassure Protestant ministers that he wouldn't take orders from Rome or let his faith affect his decisions in the Oval Office: "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act," he said. Kennedy's victory in the Democratic primary in West Virginia, a state with a small Catholic population, proved that anti-Catholic prejudice might be waning. Kennedy's performance in Houston won nearly universal praise from the press, and film of his talk was used extensively by the JFK campaign. More than 500,000 copies of his remarks were distributed to clergy, especially Protestant clergy, around the nation.
Biden's relationship with the Vatican is different from Kennedy's. While Kennedy sought to prove he could be a Catholic president for all Americans, Biden has been called to be the Catholic president of all Catholics, a more challenging undertaking. Biden has long been vocal about his faith, which provided “an enormous sense of solace” amid his personal tragedies. He makes it clear that his faith would guide how he governs. Biden often speaks of his religious convictions and quotes the Bible, and he attends Mass regularly.
Despite the differences in their relationships with the Vatican, both Kennedy and Biden faced and continue to face challenges due to their Catholic faith. While Kennedy had to overcome anti-Catholic prejudice and reassure voters of his loyalty to the United States, Biden navigates a different religious landscape, with concerns over what kind of Catholic he is rather than skepticism solely based on his religious affiliation.
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Catholic presidents and their relationship with the American church
John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden are the only two Catholic presidents in American history. Despite Catholicism being one of the largest religious groups in the US, accounting for about one-fifth of the adult population, anti-Catholic prejudice was still prevalent when Kennedy sought the presidency in 1960. He faced insinuations that he held greater allegiance to the Vatican and could not be trusted with the presidency. Kennedy refuted these claims by reminding voters of his distinguished service, and his brother's death, in World War II. He also travelled to Houston to reassure Protestant ministers that he wouldn't take orders from Rome or let his faith affect his decisions as president. Kennedy declared:
> I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act.
Kennedy's victory in the Democratic primary in West Virginia, a state with a small Catholic population, proved that anti-Catholic prejudice might be waning. However, religion still played a role in his election, helping him in several urban and industrial states but also contributing to his loss in Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee.
Biden, on the other hand, has been criticised by some for not being beholden enough to his faith. Unlike Kennedy, Biden has made it clear that his faith would guide how he governs. He often speaks of his religious convictions and quotes the Bible, and he attends Mass regularly.
The shift in the political landscape is evident in the concerns over what kind of Catholic Biden is, as opposed to the skepticism of Kennedy solely based on his religious affiliation. Catholic leaders will now have to choose how they engage with the nation's second Catholic president, and their relationships will be shaped by decisions about emphasis and tone, rather than inherent beliefs.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden are the only two Catholic presidents in US history.
Yes, Kennedy's Catholicism was a huge issue in the 1960 presidential campaign. He faced insinuations that he held greater allegiance to the Vatican and could not be trusted with the presidency. Kennedy refuted these claims and travelled to Houston to reassure Protestant ministers that he wouldn't take orders from Rome or let his faith affect his decisions.
Unlike Kennedy, Biden made it clear that his faith would guide how he governs. He often spoke about his religious convictions and quoted the Bible.
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