Religion and the American Presidency

This book chronologically analyzes fourteen key US Presidents, from Washington to Biden, to highlight how religion has informed or influenced their politics and policies. For years, leading scholars have largely neglected religion in presidential studies. Yet, religion has played a significant role in a number of critical presidencies in US history. This volume reveals the deep religious side to such presidents as Truman, Eisenhower, and Reagan, among others, and the impact that faith had on their administrations. Now in its fourth edition, this work includes analysis of Joe Biden as the second Catholic president in United States history and provides a timely update to a key text in the study of religion and the presidency.

Mark J. Rozell is the Founding Dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, USA, where he holds the Ruth D. and John T. Hazel Faculty Chair in Public Policy. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the intersection of religion and politics and he serves as the editor of the Palgrave Series on Religion, Politics, and Public Policy.

Gleaves Whitney has been the executive director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, USA, since September 2020. Previously he was the Director of the Hauenstein Center for the Study of the Presidency at Grand Valley State University. He has authored or edited 17 books.