Faith and religion have always played a major role in American politics. And Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural address definitely references both, whether we're talking about religious faith or people's trust and belief in general in themselves, in each other, and in their country.
As a candidate, Obama often addressed the issue of faith and got up close and personal about his own faith journey in a 2007 speech. And focusing on his own religious beliefs during his campaign seems to have paid off in the election. In fact, compared to his Democratic predecessor in 2004, John Kerry, Obama earned more votes from pretty much every religious group (source). And he also received 75 percent of the "religiously unaffiliated" vote.
Hence the non-believer shout-out?
Questions About Faith
- Obama's speech plays up faith, but some Republicans critics said it used a lot of vague language. In your opinion, does the speech seem sincere or cliché?
- The Constitution calls for the separation of church and state. So why do American politicians often invoke religion in major speeches?
- Do you think the president should focus on social issues like religion or focus on issues like the economy and foreign relations?
- If you were running for president, what role would faith play in your campaign? How would you communicate about your own faith (or lack thereof) to potential voters?
Chew on This
In his 2009 inaugural address, Barack Obama tells Americans to have faith in the country by having faith in themselves.
Obama's rhetoric from 2007 to 2009 focused more on faith and religion than his Democratic predecessors did. In his own words, "This guy is not the typical secular Democrat."