1909-1913
Raised Unitarian, Taft described his religious beliefs: "I am a Unitarian. I believe in God. I do not believe in the divinity of Christ, and there are many other of the postulates of the orthodox creed to which I cannot subscribe. I am not, however, a scoffer at religion but on the contrary recognize, in the fullest manner, the elevating influence that it has had and always will have in the history of mankind."
Despite regular attendance at All Souls Church, Taft was accused of being an infidel or atheist during his presidential bid in the 1908 campaign. Taft responded: "To go into a dogmatic discussion of creed I will not do whether I am defeated or not. If the American electorate is so narrow as not to elect a Unitarian, well and good. I can stand it."
As president, Taft acknowledged "Almighty God" and called on citizens to recognize and thank God for the blessings bestowed upon the nation. He lost his re-election campaign in 1912, and in 1917 he delivered a speech called "The Religious Convictions of an American Citizen," which many supporters wished he had given during his election campaign: "Unitarians believe that Jesus Christ founded a new religion and a new religious philosophy on the love of God for man, and of men for one another, and for God, and taught it by his life and practice, with such Heaven-given sincerity, sweetness, simplicity, and all-compelling force that it lived after him in the souls of men, and became the basis for a civilization struggling toward the highest ideals," he explained. "[Unitarians] feel the life of Jesus as a man to be more helpful to them, as a religious inspiration, than if he is to be regarded as God in human form. ... Unitarianism offers a broad Christian religious faith that can be reconciled with scientific freedom of thought and inquiry into the truth."
Raised Unitarian, Taft described his religious beliefs: "I am a Unitarian. I believe in God. I do not believe in the divinity of Christ, and there are many other of the postulates of the orthodox creed to which I cannot subscribe. I am not, however, a scoffer at religion but on the contrary recognize, in the fullest manner, the elevating influence that it has had and always will have in the history of mankind."
Despite regular attendance at All Souls Church, Taft was accused of being an infidel or atheist during his presidential bid in the 1908 campaign. Taft responded: "To go into a dogmatic discussion of creed I will not do whether I am defeated or not. If the American electorate is so narrow as not to elect a Unitarian, well and good. I can stand it."
As president, Taft acknowledged "Almighty God" and called on citizens to recognize and thank God for the blessings bestowed upon the nation. He lost his re-election campaign in 1912, and in 1917 he delivered a speech called "The Religious Convictions of an American Citizen," which many supporters wished he had given during his election campaign: "Unitarians believe that Jesus Christ founded a new religion and a new religious philosophy on the love of God for man, and of men for one another, and for God, and taught it by his life and practice, with such Heaven-given sincerity, sweetness, simplicity, and all-compelling force that it lived after him in the souls of men, and became the basis for a civilization struggling toward the highest ideals," he explained. "[Unitarians] feel the life of Jesus as a man to be more helpful to them, as a religious inspiration, than if he is to be regarded as God in human form. ... Unitarianism offers a broad Christian religious faith that can be reconciled with scientific freedom of thought and inquiry into the truth."
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