Ethan Walker
Joe Biden, the second Catholic president in American history, has found himself in a unique position as a pro-choice Democrat. While his Catholic faith teaches that abortion is a sin, Biden has supported state-funded abortion and opposed several legal protections for religious freedom. Biden's stance on abortion has evolved over time, dropping his support for the Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal funds from subsidizing abortions. He has also taken steps to block state-level attempts to prohibit abortion and has expressed his commitment to restoring Roe v. Wade. Despite criticism from some Catholic institutions, Biden claims that his politics and Catholic faith 'coincide', emphasizing the importance of treating others with respect and looking out for those in need.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic | Yes |
| Pro-choice | Yes |
| Supported the Hyde Amendment | Yes, but reversed his position in 2019 |
| Supports state-funded abortion | Yes |
| Opposed to legal protections for religious freedom | Yes |
| Would repeal religious freedom exemptions to the contraceptive mandate | Yes |
| Would sign the Equality Act into law | Yes |
| Supports LGBTQI+ rights | Yes |
| Supports abortion rights | Yes |
| Would restore Roe v. Wade | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
Biden's Catholicism and how it shapes his presidency
Joe Biden is a lifelong Catholic and the second Catholic president in US history. He has been criticised by anti-abortion advocates and many Catholics for his pro-choice stance on abortion. Biden has said that he personally believes life begins at conception, but he does not want to impose his religious views on others. In a 2015 interview, he said:
> "What I’m not prepared to do is impose a precise view that is borne out of my faith on other people."
Biden's Catholicism is at the core of his life and is likely to shape his presidency. In his book, *Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics*, he wrote:
> "I’m as much a cultural Catholic as I am a theological Catholic. My idea of self, of family, of community, of the wider world comes straight from my religion. It’s not so much the Bible, the beatitudes, the Ten Commandments, the sacraments, or the prayers I learned. It’s the culture."
Biden's faith has also influenced his belief in equality. In an article for the *Christian Post*, he wrote:
> "My Catholic faith drilled into me a core truth – that every person on earth is equal in rights and dignity, because we are all beloved children of God. These are the principles that will shape all that I do, and my faith will continue to serve as my anchor, as it has my entire life."
Biden's Catholicism has also influenced his support for same-sex marriage and his pledge to enact the Equality Act within 100 days of becoming president. According to LGBT rights campaigner Chad Griffin, Biden will be "the most pro-equality president we have ever had".
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Biden's pro-choice stance on abortion
Joe Biden, the current US president, is a lifelong Catholic and the second Catholic to occupy the White House. He is a religious man, frequently attending mass at Holy Trinity Church in Washington, DC, and is open about how his faith has shaped his life and views. He has stated that his "idea of self, of family, of community, of the wider world comes straight from my religion".
However, Biden's stance on abortion has caused controversy among some Catholics. While the Catholic Church teaches that abortion is a grave sin, equivalent to murder, Biden supports abortion rights and has a pro-choice stance. This has led some Catholic clergy to argue that he should be denied Holy Communion, as those who are conscious of "grave sin" should not receive it.
Biden has defended his position by stating that while he personally believes life begins at conception, he recognises that others do not share this view. He has said that he does not want to impose his religious beliefs on others and that personal beliefs and public policy do not always mix.
Biden's stance on abortion has evolved over time. He began his political career as a pro-life Democrat but changed his position after Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that established a woman's right to an abortion. As he campaigned for president in 2019, Biden dropped his long-held support for the Hyde Amendment, which blocked federal funds from subsidising abortions.
The tension between Biden's Catholic faith and his pro-choice stance has highlighted divisions within the Catholic Church. While some Catholic bishops have criticised Biden and argued that he should be denied Communion, others have congratulated him on his election as president.
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Catholic Church's teachings on abortion
US President Joe Biden is the country's second Catholic president, with his faith likely to shape his presidency. However, Biden's stance on abortion has been a source of contention, with some conservative Catholic organisations urging followers not to vote for him due to his pro-choice stance. This is in contradiction to the Catholic Church's teachings, which oppose all forms of abortion procedures that aim to destroy a zygote, blastocyst, embryo, or fetus. The Church holds that human life must be respected and protected from the moment of conception and that abortion is an intrinsic evil and a crime against human life and dignity.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1992, states that the Church has affirmed the moral evil of procured abortion since the first century. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable, with abortion considered gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church's position is further reinforced by Canon 1397 §2 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which imposes automatic excommunication on Latin Catholics who procure an abortion. Eastern Catholics are not subject to automatic excommunication but can be excommunicated by decree and absolved of their sin by the eparchial bishop.
The Church's opposition to abortion is based on the principle that each human life has inherent dignity and must be treated with respect. This belief is underscored by modern science, which confirms that human life begins at conception. The Church also teaches that abortion cannot be justified, legalised, participated in, or cooperated with under any circumstance. However, the Church does recognise as morally legitimate certain acts that indirectly result in the death of the fetus, such as the removal of a cancerous womb.
While Biden has stated that he personally believes life begins at conception, he recognises that others do not share this view. He has pledged not to impose his religious beliefs on others, instead focusing on restoring the "soul of the nation" and promoting equality. Biden's stance on abortion has evolved over time, with him initially voting for a constitutional amendment that would have allowed states to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, he later dropped his support for the Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal funds from subsidising abortions.
The Catholic Church's teachings on abortion have been a source of debate, with some critics arguing that the Church has only recently opposed abortion. However, a review of early Christian writings and Church legislation reveals that abortion was rejected by early Christians and considered a sin.
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Biden's views on religion and public policy
Joe Biden, the current President of the United States, is a lifelong Catholic. He is one of the most religious presidents in recent history, regularly attending mass at Holy Trinity Church in Washington, D.C. Biden has also woven his faith into his political biography and integrates it into his speeches. He has said that his belief in equality is rooted in his 'cultural Catholicism'. Biden's Catholicism is at the core of his life and is likely to shape the way he governs as president.
However, Biden's stance on abortion has caused tension within the Catholic Church. While the Church teaches that abortion is the taking of a human life, Biden is pro-choice and supports abortion rights. This has led to some Catholic clergy arguing that he should be denied Holy Communion, as those who are guilty of "manifest grave sin" should not receive it. Nevertheless, Biden has stated that he will not impose his religious views on others, recognising that not everyone shares his beliefs. He has also pointed out that even Catholic saints have held different views on when life begins.
Biden's pro-choice stance has resulted in criticism from anti-abortion advocates and some Catholics. They argue that he is presenting a contradictory picture of Catholic faith to the public. However, Biden is not the only high-profile Catholic to support abortion rights. Pope John Paul II gave Communion to Rome's mayor, who had campaigned to liberalize abortion laws. Similarly, Pope Benedict XVI gave Communion to Rudolph Giuliani, Nancy Pelosi, and John Kerry, all of whom are pro-choice.
The distinction between a politician's personal views and their approach to public policy can be challenging for citizens to understand. While some believe that politicians should make policies that conform to their personal beliefs, this is not always the case. For example, many people may disagree with alcohol use, but they do not seek to ban it through legislation.
As president, Biden has pledged to restore the "soul of the nation" and to enact policies that reflect his Catholic faith, such as his support for same-sex marriage and the Equality Act.
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Catholic voters' opinions on Biden
Joe Biden is the second Catholic president in US history, and his faith is likely to shape his presidency. According to Biden, his "idea of self, of family, of community, of the wider world comes straight from [his] religion". However, Biden's stance on abortion has put him at odds with some members of the Catholic Church and its followers.
Biden's views on abortion have evolved over time. He began his political career as a pro-life Democrat, but after Roe v. Wade, he flipped to a pro-choice position. While Biden has said he personally believes life begins at conception, he does not want to impose his religious views on the electorate. This stance has drawn criticism from some conservative Catholic organizations, who urged followers not to vote for Biden. However, a majority of US Catholics say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and Biden's support for abortion rights aligns with the views of many Catholic voters.
According to polls, Biden has received mixed support from Catholic voters. In 2020, a poll by EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research showed that 52% of "likely Catholic voters" supported Biden, while 40% supported Trump. However, a Pew Research Center survey in 2024 found that only 35% of Catholics had a favorable view of Biden, while 64% held an unfavorable opinion. The same survey showed that Trump was viewed favorably by 42% of Catholics, with 57% holding an unfavorable view.
The political leanings of Catholic voters also seem to vary based on ethnicity and church attendance. Among Hispanic Catholics, Biden's support was more than double that of Trump's, with 67% of Hispanic Catholics supporting Biden compared to 26% for Trump. However, Trump held an advantage among white Catholics, with 54% holding a favorable view of him. Additionally, Catholics who attend Mass monthly or more often were more likely to identify with the Republican Party, with 61% aligning with the Republicans compared to 35% of Hispanic Catholics.
Overall, while Biden's Catholicism may have appealed to some voters, particularly in culturally Catholic states, his stance on abortion has been a point of contention among Catholic voters and clergy. Some Catholic voters have expressed disapproval of Biden's policies and their impact on the country, while others have defended his pro-choice position.
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Frequently asked questions
Although Biden is a life-long Catholic, his stance on abortion rights has changed over the course of his political career. He has stated that his political beliefs align with his Catholic faith, but critics argue that his support for state-funded abortion and opposition to legal protections for religious freedom contradict Catholic teachings.
No, Biden's stance on abortion has evolved over time. In the 1980s, he voted for a constitutional amendment that would have allowed states to overturn Roe v. Wade, and he supported the Hyde Amendment for most of his political career. However, during his 2019 presidential campaign, he dropped his support for the Hyde Amendment and now advocates for abortion rights.
Traditional Catholic doctrine teaches that abortion is a sin, and the Catholic Church generally opposes abortion and believes that life begins at conception. Biden, as a pro-choice advocate, supports a woman's right to choose and has expressed his commitment to restoring protections for abortion rights.
Yes, Biden has acknowledged the complexity of the issue. While he has expressed personal reservations about abortion, he believes that his political views coincide with Catholic social teaching on treating people with honesty, decency, and respect. He has also pointed to historical perspectives within Catholicism, such as the view of Thomas Aquinas, a 13th-century Catholic saint who argued that life begins when a pregnant woman can feel the child move.
The Catholic Church and its representatives, such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, have generally opposed Biden's support for abortion rights and his policies that clash with Catholic teachings. They argue that his positions on abortion, same-sex marriage, and religious liberty are at odds with Church doctrine and have expressed concern over the potential consequences of certain legislation, such as the Equality Act, on religious freedom and conscience protections.
