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Books by and about 2020 presidential candidates
Crippled America,
by Donald J. Trump (2015)
Fire and Fury,
by Michael Wolff (2018)
Trump Revealed,
by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher (2016)
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2016)
Promise Me, Dad ,
by Joe Biden (2017)
The Book of Joe ,
by Jeff Wilser (2019; biography of Joe Biden)
The Truths We Hold,
by Kamala Harris (2019)
Smart on Crime,
by Kamala Harris (2010)
Guide to Political Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2017)
Where We Go From Here,
by Bernie Sanders (2018)
Our Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2016)
This Fight Is Our Fight,
by Elizabeth Warren (2017)
United,
by Cory Booker (2016)
Conscience of a Conservative,
by Jeff Flake (2017)
Two Paths,
by Gov. John Kasich (2017)
Every Other Monday,
by Rep. John Kasich (2010)
Courage is Contagious,
by John Kasich (1998)
Shortest Way Home,
by Pete Buttigieg (2019)
Becoming,
by Michelle Obama (2018)
Higher Loyalty,
by James Comey (2018)
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2017)
Trump vs. Hillary On The Issues ,
by Jesse Gordon (2016)
Outsider in the White House,
by Bernie Sanders (2015)

Book Reviews

(from Amazon.com)

(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com)

Joe Biden and Catholicism in the United States
by Massimo Faggioli



(Click for Amazon book review)

    Click on a participant to pop-up their full list of quotations
    from Biden and Catholicism, by Massimo Faggioli (number of quotes indicated):
  • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (1) Democrat U.S. Rep New York- 14
  • Barack Obama (1) Democratic President (elected 2008)
  • Donald Trump (3) Republican Presidential incumbent
  • Joe Biden (4) Democratic V.P.
  • John Kerry (1) Cabinet Climate Envoy
  • Mike Pompeo (1) Kansas Former Secretary of State
  • Pope Francis (4) Leader of the Catholic Church
    OR click on an issue category below for a subset.

BOOK REVIEW by OnTheIssues.org:

Joe Biden and Catholicism in the United States, by Massimo Faggioli is much more about the latter than the former, coming out at the very start of Biden's presidency. Yet it offers insights into how tensions in the Church--particularly the US Church--reflects the schisms in larger society. In exploring the antipathy conservative Church leaders, including in the laity, have for both Pope Francis and President Biden, it provides a road map for future debates, such as a suggestion by some bishops that Biden be denied communion because of his liberal stance on abortion laws.

Biden is the fourth Catholic candidate for president, and only the second elected after John F. Kennedy. (The other two were Al Smith and John Kerry.) Faggioli, himself a professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University, makes the case that Biden's Catholicism puts him in a unique position. Kennedy famously made it clear he would service as a president who happened to be Catholic, not as a Catholic president [p.41], a message echoed by Kerry. Biden, on the other hand, is as firm in his Catholic beliefs as he is in support for separation of church and state. [p.50-51] He regularly attends Mass, carries his late son Beau's rosary with him, and frequently quotes Catholic liturgy and writers in his public remarks. During his first trip to Europe for the G7 summit, the Bidens attended services at the Sacred Heart Church in Falmouth, England, much to the surprise of the parishioners.

The book examines how the arrival of Pope Francis has led to a number of shifts in the Church's view of the world, perhaps most notably and literally, in taking a global perspective rather than one focused on Europe and the U.S. While not noticeably making major changes on so-called "culture war" issues such as abortion and gay marriage, Francis has been more open to speaking out on economic injustice and the climate crisis. For more conservative elements in the US and elsewhere there has been pushback, which was exacerbated during the Trump presidency with Archbishop Carlo Maria ViganĂ²--a critic of Pope Francis--making public statements in support of Donald Trump. [p.97]

The author speculates how Biden and Francis may work on issues where there is common ground but notes that while they are of the same generation--Francis is six years older--Biden represents a traditional type of American Catholic who seems to be disappearing: working class, Democratic, and politically middle of the road. Some Catholics, like Mike Pompeo and William Barr, are more comfortable with the views of the Republican right. For others, particularly of a younger generation like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, it means embracing the activism of democratic socialism.

Faggioli provides a Catholic American lens through which to view recent American history and changes in the Church.

-- Daniel M. Kimmel, OnTheIssues editor, June 23, 2021

 OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)
Foreign Policy
    Mike Pompeo: Criticized Vatican for renewing outreach with China.
    Pope Francis: Trump visit to Vatican more about detente than armistice.
    Pope Francis: Focuses on a global view rather than a pan-American one.
Immigration
    Donald Trump: Opposes Vatican view of multicultural global resettlement.
    Pope Francis: Both Church and world in process of global resettlement.
Principles & Values
    Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: In other countries, Biden and I would not be in same party.
    Barack Obama: Obama represented secular liberalism to US church leaders.
    Donald Trump: Trump visit to Vatican more about detente than armistice.
    Donald Trump: Aligned with Catholic leaders critical of Pope Francis.
    Joe Biden: Segment of American Church questions Biden's Catholicism.
    Joe Biden: Publicly open about his faith without imposing it on others.
    Joe Biden: Cited hymn "On Eagle's Wings" in his victory speech.
    Joe Biden: Catholic doctrine taught me faith without works is dead.
    John Kerry: Tried to separate politics and faith on culture war issues.
    Pope Francis: Resides with clergy instead of separate papal apartment.


The above quotations are from Joe Biden and Catholicism in the United States
by Massimo Faggioli. Error processing SSI file

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