Ronald Reagan's Religious Beliefs

by Stephen Vicchio

Overview

Ronald Reagan was arguably the most religious of our presidents, able to cite chapter and verse of many passages in both the Old and New Testaments. Yet very little has been written about Ronald Reagan's religious views or the major influences that shaped them. 

This book explores Reagan's early religious life, and examines his views on God, atheism, the Bible, freedom, prayer, ethics, abortion, infanticide, the separation of church and state, religious toleration, the problem of evil, and immortality and eternal life.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940163976416
Publisher:	CrossLink Publishing
Publication date:	10/07/2020
Sold by:	Draft2Digital
Format:	eBook
File size:	561 KB

About the Author

Before retiring, Dr. Vicchio taught philosophy and biblical studies for 43 years, most at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore. He is the author of two dozen other books, including biography, plays, essays, philosophy, and biblical studies. He has also authored books on Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln's religions.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Religion in Ronald Reagan's Early Life 5

Ronald Reagan and God 39

Ronald Reagan and Atheism 75

Ronald Reagan and the Bible 111

Ronald Reagan and Freedom 147

Ronald Reagan and Prayer 185

Ronald Reagan on the Moral Good and Moral Responsibility 223

Ronald Reagan on Abortion and Infanticide 259

Ronald Reagan on Church and State and Religious Toleration 297

Ronald Reagan on Evil and Theodicy 335

Ronald Reagan on Survival of Death and Immortality 371

Ronald Reagan and Religious Renewal 407

Ronald Reagan and Ecumenism 445

Major Conclusions on Reagan's Religious Beliefs 483

Editorial Reviews

As the author of God and Ronald Reagan, I have learned a few things of the faith of Ronald Reagan. His faith was questioned throughout the 1980s by people who cynically assumed that he was not a faithful Christian. How wrong they were. Now we know far better, thanks to scholarship like that of Stephen Vicchio’s, who has become one of the nation’s authorities of America’s presidents—-from Washington to Jefferson, to Lincoln, to now Ronald Reagan. This book is a serious treatment of Ronald Reagan and prayer, ethics, ecumenism, and abortion. If you like to learn about Ronald Reagan’ faith, you need to get this book Stephen Vicchio is a thoughtful scholar. This book is not to be missed.

Paul Kengor

Ronald Reagan, as Stephen Vicchio demonstrates, was well-versed in his religious beliefs, literally. Reagan knew how to life the spirits of Americans and to mourn when tragedy struck As Vicchio shows, Ronald Reagan may have been difficult to understand, but not for his wife, nor for his God. We should all be so fortunate.

Arthur Ferguson

Stephen VIcchio has done it again by adding a fascinating new volume to his series of scholarly books on the religious beliefs of major American Presidents. This time he examines Ronald Reagan, the first modern era President of his studies. VIcchio’s research covers both the development and specific dimensions of President Reagan’s moral and religious foundations, as well as their influence on selected aspects of his public life and positions. Readers from different political persuasions will enjoy and learn from this important analytic contribution to the extensive existing Reagan narratives.

James McPartland