God and the Oval Office

A look into how the temporary residents of the White House expressed the deepest of all human feelings—personal religious faith—in their own words.

“We need to remember that the separation of church and state must never mean the separation of religious values from the lives of public servants.” —Lyndon B. Johnson

“So help me God.” George Washington added those words to the presidential oath, and every president since has followed suit. Whether their faith was devout or doubted, heartfelt or pragmatic, John McCollister plumbs America’s strong and deep spiritual heritage, showing the fascinating and vital role faith played in the lives of each of our forty-three presidents:

• Thomas Jefferson’s “edited” version of the Gospels
• Abraham Lincoln’s unique approach to organized religion
• Andrew Johnson’s “secret” Catholicism
• James Garfield’s personal sacrifice of the pulpit for the presidency
• Dwight Eisenhower’s trust in God’s sovereignty
• Ronald Reagan’s profound sense of forgiveness
• George W. Bush’s unapologetic faith in Jesus Christ

From George Washington to George W. Bush, most of our country’s chief executives have turned to God for assurance, guidance, and hope. Through what they learned in the Bible, bolstered by strength found in prayer, they have led America to become the greatest nation on earth. Timely and timeless, God and the Oval Office tells their story.