Abstract
President William Jefferson Clinton is one of the most complex, enigmatic persons to ever occupy the American presidency and there is little doubt that long after Clinton’s controversial presidency, scholars and citizens alike will continue to puzzle over questions relating to his personality, character, and religious life (Pfiffner 2000). Was Clinton a man of high character and personal faith? One can muster considerable supporting evidence. As president, Bill Clinton frequently attended church services, liberally sprinkled his speeches with biblical references, promoted a “New Covenant” with the American people, and regularly sought spiritual counsel from clergy. As he left office, Clinton enjoyed an exceedingly high (65 percent) public approval rating, higher that that enjoyed by Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy (Jackson 2001). And he received support, even from conservative clergy such as former Jerry Falwell associate, the Rev. Ed Dobson, who argued that Clinton “is more deeply spiritual than any president we’ve had in recent years” (Cloud 2000).
I don’t think I could do my job as President, much less continue to try to grow as a person in the absence of my faith in God and my attempt to learn more about what it should be and grow. It provides a solace and support in the face of all these problems that I am not smart enough to solve.
Bill Clinton in ABC interview by Peggy Wehmeyer, “American Agenda,” March 22, 1994 (Spirituality 2004)
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Alt, Robert. 1998. Clinton Finds Religion. The Washington Times/Ashbrook Center. Available from http://www.ashbrook.org/org/publlicat/oped/alt/98/clintonreligion.html (accessed September 11, 2004).
Bennett, William J. 1998. The Death of Outrage. New York: Simon & Schuster. Briggs, David. 1999. Clinton’s Faith an Enigma to Observers. Baptist Standard. Available from http://www.baptiststandard.com/1999/3_3/pages/clinton.html (accessed March 3, 1999).
Brown, Steve. 2003. Davis/Clinton Church Rally Sparks Call for IRS Investigation. The Nation/Cybercast News Service, 2003. Available from http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=%5CNation%5Carchive%5C200309%5C… (accessed September 14, 2004).
Clinton, Bill. 1995. Religious Liberty in America. USIA. Available from http://www.religioustolerance.org/clinton1.htm.
Clinton, Bill. 1998. Asking Forgiveness. Holistic Living. Available from http://1stholistic.com/Reading/liv_speeches-asking-forgiveness-bill-clinton.htm (accessed September 14, 2004). Clinton, Bill. 2004. My Life. New York: Knopf.
Cloud, David. 2000. Church Leaders Praise Bill Clinton’s “Spirituality.” Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Available from http://www.jesus-issavior.com/church_leaders_praise_bill_clinton.htm (accessed September 14, 2004).
Cutrer, Corrie. 2000. Clinton Visit Provokes Church Members. Christianity Today. Available from http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/134/54.0.html (accessed September 14, 2004).
Fackre, Gabriel J. 1999. Judgment Day at the White House: A Critical Declaration Exploring Moral Issues and the Political use and Abuse of Religion. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.
Fackre, Gabriel J. 2000. The Day After: A Retrospective on Religious Dissent in the Presidential Crisis. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.
Frontline. 2004. The Jesus Factor: Religion In the White House Then and Now. PBS, 2004. Available from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/president/religion.html (accessed September 11, 2004).
Froomkin, Dan. 1998. Case Closed. The Washington Post. Available from http://C:\DOCUME~1\penn\LOCALS~1\Temp\5BQVWFTU.htm (accessed October 27, 2004).
Hamilton, Nigel. 2003. Bill Clinton: An American Journey. New York: Random House.
Hauerwas, Stanley. 1999. Why Clinton is Incapable of Lying: A Christrian Analysis. In Judgement Day at the White House, edited by G. J. Fackre. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.
Herlinger, Chris. 1998. Clinton Tells Religious Leaders: “I have sinned.” Ecumenical News International. Available from http://www.layman.org/layman/news-around-church/clinton-tells-ihave-sinned.htm (accessed September 14, 2004).
Jackson, Wayne. 2001. Bill Clinton: A Presidential Paradox. Christian Courier. Available from http://www.christiancourier.com/penpoints/upDown.htm (accessed September 14, 2004).
Johnson, Haynes Bonner. 2001. The Best of Times: America In the Clinton Years, 1st ed. New York: Harcourt.
Kengor, Paul. 2004. Undivine Double Standard. National Review. Available from http://www.nationalreview.com/com/comment/kengor2004/200409070843.asp (accessed September 11, 2004).
Knippenberg, Joseph. 2004. Bill Clinton and the Bully Pulpit. Ashbrook Center. Available from http://ww.ashbrook.org/publicat/guest/04/knippenberg/clinton.html (accessed September 14, 2004).
Kurtz, Howard. 1998. Spin Cycle: Inside the Clinton Propaganda Machine. New York: Free Press.
Maraniss, David. 1995. First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Massarella, Linda. 1998. Travolta Admits Bill Used Sects Appeal to Woo Scientologists. New York Post. Available from http://www.antisectes.net/charlie1.htm (accessed September 11, 2004).
Neuhaus, Richard John. 1999. The Public Square. First Things Available from http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9906/public.html(accessed September 11, 2004).
Newswire, P. R. 2004. At Rare Appearance at Riverside Church, Former President Bill Clinton Offered His Support of the Mobilization 2004 Campaign. PR Newswire, 2004. Available from http://www.findlaw.com/prnewswire/2004/20040830/30aug2004173515.html (accessed September 14, 2004).
Olasky, Marvin N. 1999. The American Leadership Tradition: Moral Vision from Washington to Clinton. New York: Free Press.
Pfiffner, James P. 2000. Presidential Character: Multidimensional or Seamless? In The Clinton scandal and the future of American government, edited by M. J. Rozell and C. Wilcox. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.
Renshon, Stanley Allen. 1996. High Hopes: The Clinton Presidency and the Politics of Ambition. New York: New York University Press.
Roberts, Peter. 2004. William Jefferson Clinton. Available from http://www.geocities.com/peterroberts.geo/Relig-Politics/WJClinton.html (accessed September 11, 2004).
Sadiq, Luqman. 1996. Bill Clinton—A Profile in Genius. Available from http://pearly-abraham.tripod.com/htmls/bill-genius.html (accessed September 14, 2004).
Schier, Steven E. 2000. The Postmodern Presidency: Bill Clinton’s Legacy in U.S. Politics. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Service, Fundamental Baptist Information. 2001. The Preachers Who Influenced Bill Clinton. Available from http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/reachers-billclinton.html (accessed September 14, 2004).
Sharman, J. Michael. 1995. Faith of the Fathers: Religion and Matters of Faith Contained in the Presidents’ Inaugural Addresses from George Washington to Bill Clinton. Culpeper, VA: Victory Pub.
Silk, Mark. 1999. A Civil Religious Affair. The Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life. Available from http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol2No1/Civil_Religious.htm (accessed September 11, 2004).
Spirituality, Clinton’s False. 2004. Clinton’s False Spirituality. Weblog. Available from http://www.ictks.com/rush/books/clintondocs/cllint_spirit.html(accessed September 14, 2004).
Stewart, James B. 1996. Blood Sport: The President and His Adversaries. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Suskind, Ron. 2004. Without a Doubt. The New York Times. Available from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/magazine/17BUSH.html?ex=1099127648&e=1&e (accessed October 18, 2004).
Thomas, Cal.1998. Stopping Him before He Sins Again. Jewish World Review. Available from http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/thomas091898.asp (accessed September 11, 2004).
Walker, Martin. 1996. The President We Deserve: Bill Clinton, His Rise, Falls, and Comebacks, 1st ed. New York: Crown Publishers.
Woodward, Bob. 1994. The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Woodward, Bob. 1996. The Choice. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Editor information
Copyright information
© 2007 Mark J. Rozell and Gleaves Whitney
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Penning, J.M. (2007). The Religion of Bill Clinton. In: Rozell, M.J., Whitney, G. (eds) Religion and the American Presidency. The Evolving American Presidency Series. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230604155_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230604155_11
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-53780-8
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-60415-5
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)