September 12: Can a Catholic be President?

On 12 September 1960, Catholic Senator John F. Kennedy gave a speech before the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in which he addressed the concern that, if elected President, that he would not be able to govern the country without being unduly influenced by the Pope in Rome. Kennedy would be elected the 35th President of the United States; the first Catholic to hold that office.

Kennedy served as a Member of Congress from the Boston area and then was elected as a Senator from Massachusetts. In 1955, his Profiles in Courage won a Pulitzer Prize in history.

Although the myth persists that early British settlers came to the American colonies to establish religious freedom, such was not the case. For example, Maryland’s 1649 Act Concerning Religion mandated religious toleration—but only for those who believed in the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

Maryland originated as a proprietary colony of Catholic Lord Baltimore. However, in 1689—the year after England’s Glorious Revolution in which Catholic King James II was overthrown—Lord Baltimore lost control of his colony. Control on Maryland returned to the Baltimore family in 1715. Calvert’s father had converted from Catholicism to the Anglican Church and Calvert had been raised a Protestant.

The strife between Protestants and Catholics in England carried over to the American Colonies where ten of the thirteen colonies had anti-Catholic provisions such as disenfranchising Catholics, prohibiting Catholics from holding office, and preventing Catholics from entering certain professions.

When Kennedy spoke to the Greater Ministerial Association, the colonial Stamp Act would not have been on the minds of his audience. However, many Americans still believed in the sentiment expressed by John Adams when he expressed his conviction that, “I did verily believe, as I do still, that much more is to be dreaded from the growth of popery in America, than from the Stamp Act, or any other acts destructive of civil rights.”

    –Steven L. Berg, PhD

Just keep reading viagra order cheap on the article to find the answer. Well, this is not usual tadalafil without prescriptions in every men but a man may not be able to get his organ ‘up’ when he is stimulated. An online levitra tablet experienced faculty is put in charge so that the best of course material is taught through 3-D animations and videos. They should take them to the best longterm option, camping and all those things this can offer victories order levitra without prescription hands down.

6 Responses

  1. Alex m says:

    It is amazing that even though both protestants and Catholics are christian that there would be inter religious fighting and strife. Religious groups today still fight with each other. Recently people were upset with Barack Obama becoming president because he had a Muslim parent, people were scared that he would have Muslim views and would hurt our country. Even more recently the president has been in hot water for comments he made which people perceived to be him supporting Muslims before the united states.

  2. John Keeth says:

    After hearing JFK’s speech, and reading Dr. Sunshine’s essay, “The Separation of Church and State”, it really struck me how long and difficult the process of drawing the line between government and religion has been. John F. Kennedy had to find time away from fighting the “real issues” of his election to give a speech was given nearly three and a half centuries after the first pilgrims landed in search of religious freedom. Furthermore this issues continues to exist in the politics of today, as the religions of both politicians in the current election have been brought into question. It makes me wonder when, if ever, that line will finally be drawn.

  3. The separation between church and state is explained (by dictionary.reference.com) as “The principle that government must maintain an attitude of neutrality toward religion. Many view separation of church and state as required by the First Amendment. The First Amendment not only allows citizens the freedom to practice any religion of their choice, but also prevents the government from officially recognizing or favoring any religion.” I don’t see why the public, or others involved with government, care so much about what religion our president is. Is it really that big of a deal? What if our president was atheist? Our country pledges about equality and having the same rights for everyone. In my opinion, a Catholic person is the same as a Muslim person.

  4. Jalen Walker says:

    I think that a Catholic’s or Christian’s could be the leaders of our nation. It is to be known that Catholics and Christians have a higher moral standard then other religions. This means that when it comes to the ideal religion Catholicism and Christianity are probably the religion that most people want their President to have. It is said that religion completely skews your judgement based on morals. I believe do to this information that a religion skews judgement is not always the truth. I believe a president with these beliefs could do a lot of good work for the country, and i believe bringing in your own system as a president and trying to make the country better based on your beliefs is step in the right direction.

  5. Eden Gibbs says:

    The United States is supposed to be a place of tolerance. A place of freedom do believe in whomever and whatever religion you please, and not be judged for it. Yet it is still happening whether it be between Catholics and Protestants, or Christians in general and Muslims. The judgment of politicians and their faith, publicly or not is being passed by many.
    The First Amendment right that states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
    The first Muslim was sworn into Congress in 2006 and people are still making a fuss about it. Let the man believe what he wants and serve his country!
    The act of separation of church and state by all means is a great thing. Government should have no say in people’s religious belief and should not pass laws, such as the right to gay marriage, based on their own beliefs. This is a free country for people to believe and practice what they want, yet as of November 2012 there are only nine states letting the people marry whomever they chose.
    Even the Pledge of Allegiance states “…liberty and justice for all”. I still do not believe America is giving justice for all, nor will the country in the near future.

Leave a Reply