Ethan Walker
Joe Biden is the second Catholic president in US history, after John F. Kennedy. He was born in 1942 into a Catholic family of mostly Irish descent. Biden's political positions align with and appear to be influenced by Catholic social teaching principles, and he has made his faith a defining element of his public identity. However, his stance on abortion and same-sex marriage clashes with church teachings, and some conservative Catholics denounce him for his views on reproductive rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion | Catholic |
| Political Party | Democrat |
| Political Views | Progressive |
| Political Ideology | Center-right and center-left |
| Catholic Social Teaching Influences | Yes |
| Catholic Colleges Influence | Yes |
| Catholic Identity Display | Yes |
| Abortion Views | Supports reproductive rights |
| Same-Sex Marriage Views | Supports |
| Influence on Policies | Yes |
| Influence on Speeches | Yes |
| Attendance at Mass | Regular |
| Communion Status | Disputed |
| Relationship with U.S. Catholic Hierarchy | Strained |
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What You'll Learn
Biden is the second Catholic US president
Joe Biden is the second Catholic US president, after John F. Kennedy. Born in 1942, Biden is the oldest child in a Catholic family of mostly Irish descent. He married Neilia Hunter, a student at Syracuse University, in a Catholic church in 1966. Biden has spoken about how his Catholic faith has been the "governing force" in his political career. He has also said that his positions are deeply influenced by Catholic social teaching.
Biden's Catholicism has been a defining element of his public identity. He wears a rosary bracelet, makes the sign of the cross at public events, and likes to conclude speeches by quoting from the anthem of postconciliar American Catholicism, "On Eagle's Wings". He also plans his public schedule to allow him to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days.
Biden's stance on abortion and his support for reproductive rights clash with Catholic church teachings. Some bishops have argued that he should be denied the Eucharist because of his views. However, liberal Catholics applaud Biden for his position on abortion, while conservative ones denounce him. This divide reflects the increasing political divisiveness among Catholics in the US.
Biden's "way of being Catholic" has been described as a complex mixture of symbols, phrases, and policy priorities inspired by his working-class Catholic upbringing. His political ideology has been likened to traditional liberalism, with a focus on liberty, equality, justice, and individual rights.
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His policies are influenced by Catholic social teaching
Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States, is a Catholic of Irish descent. He is the second Catholic US president after John F. Kennedy. Biden's policies are influenced by Catholic social teaching, and he has made his faith a defining element of his public identity. He wears a rosary bracelet, makes the sign of the cross at public events, and concludes speeches by quoting from the anthem of postconciliar American Catholicism, "On Eagle's Wings".
Biden's political positions on matters of economic and social justice align with and appear to be influenced by Catholic social teaching principles. He has supported health care reform, labour unions, racial justice efforts, programs to help the poor and middle class, clean energy initiatives, and U.S. leadership on mitigating climate change. He has also spoken about securing the border while welcoming migrants and reforming the immigration system.
Biden's stance on abortion and reproductive rights, however, clashes with Catholic Church teachings. He has supported a woman's right to choose whether or not to have a child, which is a core tenet of progressive politics. This divergence from Catholic doctrine has led some conservative bishops to call for Biden to be denied the Eucharist, creating a divide between conservative bishops and liberal Catholics.
Biden's invocation of his Catholic identity recalls an earlier period in American history when white Catholics were strong supporters of the Democratic Party. His religious displays reinforce his broader public presentation, which evokes a postwar era to which Americans seem drawn.
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He has been criticised by Catholic leaders for his views on abortion
Joe Biden, the second Catholic president of the United States, has faced criticism from some Catholic leaders and organizations over his stance on abortion. Biden, a devout Catholic, has had to navigate the complex terrain of reconciling his personal faith with his role as a politician, particularly on the issue of abortion, which is a highly contentious topic within the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church's teaching on abortion is clear and unwavering: it considers abortion to be the moral equivalent of murder and a grave violation of the Fifth Commandment, "Thou shall not kill." The Church's official position leaves no room for exceptions, stating that "direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law."
Biden, like many Catholics, including politicians, has struggled with this issue. While his personal journey and position on abortion have evolved over the years, he has generally supported legal access to abortion while also expressing a desire to reduce the number of abortions. He has stated that he accepts the Church's position on abortion as a personal matter of faith but has stopped short of calling for its criminalization, believing that the decision should be left to women in consultation with their doctors.
This nuanced stance has drawn the ire of some Catholic leaders and groups who argue that Biden is obligated, as a Catholic, to uphold the Church's teaching in his public life and use his position to actively work towards ending abortion. They see his refusal to advocate for criminalizing abortion as a failure to uphold the Church's doctrine and a form of complicity in what they view as a grave moral evil.
One of the most prominent criticisms came from Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, who tweeted in 2020 that Biden should refrain from receiving Holy Communion due to his stance on abortion. Strickland wrote, "I pray for him daily but he is not a Catholic in good standing and he should refrain from approaching to receive Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in Holy Communion." This sentiment has been echoed by several other bishops and clergy members across the country.
In response, Biden has emphasized the need to respect differing opinions within the Church and has pushed back against the idea that abortion policy should be dictated solely by religious doctrine. He has also highlighted the importance of ensuring that women have access to healthcare and the right to make their own decisions about their bodies, reflecting a more nuanced understanding of the complex factors surrounding abortion.
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He attends Mass on weekends and carries a rosary
Joe Biden is a Catholic of Irish descent, born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He is the second Catholic US president, after John F. Kennedy, and the first president from the state of Delaware.
Biden is a practising Catholic who regularly attends Mass on weekends and carries a rosary. He is a member of St. Joseph's on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware, his home church. He also attends Holy Trinity, the church where Kennedy used to worship.
Biden's Catholicism is deeply personal and influences his political views. He has stated that his faith has been the "governing force" in his career, and he makes the sign of the cross at public events, weaving his beliefs into his speeches and policies.
Biden's interpretation of Catholic social teaching has influenced his political platform, which has been called the most progressive of any major party in history. He supports issues such as health care reform, labour unions, racial justice, clean energy initiatives, and immigration reform.
However, Biden's stance on abortion and reproductive rights has caused tension with the Catholic Church and some of its members. While he once questioned whether the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling went "too far", he now supports a woman's right to choose, which goes against official Church doctrine. This divergence of views has led some bishops to call for Biden to be denied Communion, creating a divide among Catholics in the US.
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His Catholic identity is a defining element of his public persona
Joe Biden is the second Catholic president in US history, after John F. Kennedy. His Catholic identity is a defining element of his public persona. He wears a rosary bracelet, makes the sign of the cross at public events, and casually crosses himself during conversations with foreign dignitaries. He also likes to conclude speeches by quoting from the anthem of postconciliar American Catholicism, "On Eagle's Wings". In his 2007 memoir, Biden wrote that what he learned from the Catholic Church has "always been the governing force" in his political career.
Biden was born on November 20, 1942, at St. Mary's Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to a Catholic family of mostly Irish descent. He married Neilia Hunter, a student at Syracuse University, in a Catholic church in 1966. They had three children: Joseph, Robert, and Naomi.
Biden's political positions appear to be influenced by Catholic social teaching principles. He has supported health care reform, labor unions, racial justice efforts, programs to help the poor and middle class, clean energy initiatives, and U.S. leadership on mitigating climate change. He has also spoken of securing the border while welcoming migrants and reforming the nation's immigration system.
Biden's stance on abortion and his support for reproductive rights clash with church teachings. He has seemed personally troubled by the idea of abortion, but today he supports a woman's right to choose, which is one of the core tenets of progressive politics. Liberal Catholics applaud Biden for his position on abortion, while conservative ones denounce him. Some bishops think Biden should be denied the Eucharist because of his views on reproductive rights.
Biden's invocation of his Catholic identity recalls an earlier period in American history when white Catholics were strong supporters of the Democratic Party. However, in the 2020 election, almost two-thirds of white Catholics who attended church weekly voted against Biden, their co-religionist, and for Donald Trump.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Joe Biden is Catholic. He was born into a Catholic family of mostly Irish descent. He married Neilia Hunter, a student at Syracuse University, in a Catholic church in Skaneateles, New York.
Joe Biden has made his faith a defining element of his public identity. He wears a rosary bracelet, makes the sign of the cross at public events, and likes to conclude speeches by quoting from the anthem of postconciliar American Catholicism, "On Eagle's Wings". He also plans his public schedule to allow him to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 63% of Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party say Joe Biden is Catholic, while a slightly smaller majority of Republicans and Republican leaners (55%) agree. However, they disagree about how religious he is and whether he talks about his faith too much, too little, or the right amount.
Joe Biden says his positions are deeply influenced by Catholic social teaching. On matters of economic and social justice, his political positions align with and appear to be influenced by Catholic social teaching principles. He has supported health care reform, labor unions, racial justice efforts, programs to help the poor and middle class, clean energy initiatives, and U.S. leadership on mitigating climate change. He has also supported reproductive rights and same-sex marriage, which clash with Catholic Church teachings. Some liberal Catholics applaud him for these positions, while conservative Catholics denounce him.
