On Good Friday, 150 years ago, AbrahamLincoln was shot while watching a play atthe Ford Theater in the nation’s capitol

city. Some say that just before John Wilkes Boothfired his .44 Derringer point blank into the backof the President’s head, Lincoln had been ignoring the play andwas talking with his wife about a possible visit to the Holy Land.With the long Civil War nearly over (the last Confederate generalwould not surrender until over two months later), Lincoln wantedto make a pilgrimage to see first-hand where Jesus was born, lived,taught and was crucified.

If this story is accurate, and these were the last thoughts ofLincoln, we have a quandary. Lincoln was never a member of anychurch. Beyond that, he seemed at one time to have rejected the

Editor’s note: A Christian “none” is one who refuses toallow relationship with God to be defined and confined by

traditionally approved and accepted religious standards.

There was the strangest

combination of church

influence against me…. My

wife had some relations in the

Presbyterian churches, and

some in the Episcopal

churches; and therefore,

wherever it would tell, I was

set down as either one or the

other, while it was everywhere

contended that no Christian

ought to vote for me because I

belonged to no Church, and

was suspected of being a

Deist and had talked of

fighting a duel.—Abraham

Lincoln, March 26, 1843, in a

letter to Martin M. Morris by Monte Wolverton 7

Bible and Christianityaltogether. Will theauthentic Abe Lincolnplease stand up to his fullheight of 6 feet 4 inches?

About 15,000 bookshave been written aboutLincoln—an honor secondonly to Jesus. In part, thisis because Lincoln is sohard to pin down in termsof his underlying beliefs.With every book, everymovie, every article aboutLincoln we ask ourselves,what spiritual perspectivedefined this man? Who wasthis man who led us toend the appalling evil ofslavery in America, an evilonce accepted by amajority of Americans, anevil that had persisted in theworld in spite of (and oftenbecause of) nineteen centuries ofinstitutional Christianity? DidGod actually choose Lincoln forthis task, and if so, what kind ofperson (or “instrument,” asLincoln more than once referredto himself) did God choose?

The answer is elusive. We canrummage through Lincoln

quotes till the cows come home,and still be flummoxed. Andthen there is the question ofauthenticity—did Abe really saymany of the things attributed tohim? Citing the enigmaticLincoln is a little like quotingScripture. It’s possible to takestatements out of context andstack them up to support anyagenda. To find a way out of themaze, we offer three views ofLincoln. The first two representextreme but popular views, andthe third, we suggest, is closer tothe truth.

1. Lincoln the PragmaticPolitician

If you are an atheist or ahumanist, you might

see Lincoln as privatelyskeptical (even atheistic) whilepublically pious. You mightthink he quoted Scripturemerely for effect, to engage amostly devout and religiouspublic to further his agenda.

Ironically, some Christianshold a similar view of Lincoln.They believe the Civil War wasmore a dispute over states’rights than it was over slavery.They point out that Southernstates, fearing that the electionof Lincoln surely meantabolition was on the way, wereforced to secede to protecttheir sovereignty. From thatperspective, Lincoln was justanother big-government

politician, and theCivil War wasnothing morethan a war of “northernaggression.”It’s surprisinglyeasy to supportthis view ofLincoln withselected quotesand sources.Some are of

Religious Camp Meeting – 1839, by J. Maze Burbank

CWRm

“He was without faith in theBible or its teachings.... It must

be accepted as final by everyreasonable mind that in religionMr. Lincoln was a skeptic.”

—Chicago Herald, 1892 editorial

Lincoln inSpringfield, Illinois,c.1846 or 1847

questionable origin, but manyare well substantiated. Forexample:• “The Bible is not my book

nor Christianity myprofession”—often quoted andattributed to Lincoln, but thesource is uncertain.

• In his early political career,Lincoln’s opponents repeatedlyaccused him of being a Deist(more on this later), an infidelor even an atheist—charges henever categorically denied atthe time. Lincoln’s Presidentialcandidacy was opposed by over85% of church pastors in hishometown of Springfield,Illinois.

• “My earlier views of theunsoundness of the Christianscheme of salvation and thehuman origin of the scriptures,have become clearer andstronger with advancing yearsand I see no reason forthinking I shall ever changethem.”—1862, to Judge J.S.

Wakefield, after WillieLincoln’s death.

• In an 1892 editorial, theChicago Herald wrote ofLincoln: “He was without faithin the Bible or its teachings.On this point the testimony isso overwhelming that there isno basis for doubt. In his earlylife Lincoln exhibited apowerful tendency toaggressive infidelity. But whenhe grew to be a politician hebecame secretive and non-committal in his religiousbelief…. It must be acceptedas final by every reasonablemind that in religion Mr.Lincoln was a skeptic.”

• Mary Todd Lincolnwrote, after her husband’sdeath, that he “was areligious man always, Ithink, but was not atechnical Christian.”

If you roam the Internet, youwill find many more quotes atleast as shocking and puzzlingas these. Was Lincoln ahypocrite? He was a shrewdpolitical and legal strategistwho often kept his personalopinions to himself. He wasalso famously adept at usinghomespun humor to disarmpolitical and legal opponents.But is it really possible thatLincoln was a hater of God andthe Bible, all the while posingas godly? If so, maybe HonestAbe wasn’t—and we ought toconsider installing a statue ofsomeone else in the LincolnMemorial.

2. Lincoln the UnchangingChurchgoer

Many Christians assumeLincoln was a devout, born-again believer. It would be soconvenient for institutionalChristendom had Lincoln beena lifelong member of somedenomination, whosecreeds and dogmascharted a clear course for

him through a great nationalcrisis, after which he wouldhave urged everyone to acceptChrist, say the Sinner’s Prayerand attend church everySunday. While it is nearlyimpossible to squeeze Lincolninto that mold, he did makemany statements that stronglysuggest he was a believer.Again, some quotes arequestionable, but many aresolidly validated. Here are afew examples:

• “When I left Springfield Iasked the people to pray forme. I was not a Christian.When I buried my son, theseverest trial of my life, I wasnot a Christian. But when Iwent to Gettysburg and sawthe graves of thousands of oursoldiers, I then and thereconsecrated myself to Christ.Yes, I do love Jesus”—allegedlysaid by Lincoln to an unnamedWhite House visitor in 1864,

The Lincoln familywould have seen manytraveling revivalistspass through theircommunity. In later life,Lincoln had a distastefor such emotionalism inpreaching, favoring well-constructed argumentsand sound reason—alater hallmark of his lawpractice and politics. Mary

ToddLincoln

wrote, after her husband’s death,that he “was a religious man

always, I think, but was not atechnical Christian.”

The answer is elusive. Wecan rummage through Lincolnquotes till the cows comehome, and still be flummoxed.

About 15,000 books havebeen written aboutLincoln...Who was this manwho led us to end theappalling evil of slavery inAmerica... an evil that hadpersisted in the world inspite of... nineteen centuriesof institutional Christianity?

9

and printed in the FreeportWeekly Journal, on December 7of that year.

• As Lincoln departed fromSpringfield for his inaugurationin Washington, he told hisaudience of well-wishers:“…without the assistance ofthat divine being whoeverattended him I cannot succeed.With that assistance, I cannotfail. Trusting in him who cango with me and remain withyou and be everywhere forgood, let us confidently hopethat all will yet be well. To hiscare commending you as Ihope in your prayers you willcommend me.”

But was Lincoln a died-in-the-wool, gung-ho, Bible-thumping religious zealot? Thefollowing quote betterdescribes Lincoln’s reasonedrelationship with theinstitutional church:

“That I am not a member ofany Christian church is true, butI have never denied the truth ofthe Scriptures, and I have neverspoken with intentionaldisrespect of religion in generalor of any denomination ofChristians in particular. I do notthink I could myself be broughtto support a man for officewhom I knew to be an openenemy of and scoffer atreligion”—1846 handbillpublished by Lincoln inresponse to his opponent ina congressional race.

3. Lincoln the LifelongLearner

In his book A. Lincoln: ABiography, Ronald C. White,Jr. paints a picture of a man

who is ever-questioning,intellectuallycurious and openminded. His beliefswere never set instone, but rathergrew and evolved

throughout his lifetime. A briefreview of the aspects ofLincoln’s life that formed hisreligious history may helpunravel the enigma.

At the time of Lincoln’sbirth, his parents, Thomas andNancy, were active in a BaptistChurch in Elizabethtown,Kentucky. This austere religiousenvironment likely out-Calvined Calvin, according toone scholar. The Lincolnfamily would have seen manytraveling revivalists passthrough their community. Inlater life, Lincoln had a distastefor such emotionalism inpreaching, favoring well-constructed arguments andsound reason—a later hallmarkof his law practice and politics.

Further, the Lincolns’ churchopposed slavery, which waslawful in Kentucky, whereslaves made up about 25% ofthe population. Lincoln’sparents would have voicedtheir disapproval of the slavetraders who often traveled theroad that passed near thefamily cabin.

After the family moved toIndiana, young Abe began hislifelong consumption of books,including the Bible,memorizing much of what heread. He quoted from memorythe Ten Commandments, the

Sermon on the Mount, the23rd Psalm and many otherpassages. The premature deathsof his mother and sister mayhave driven his interest inthings spiritual, but also mayhave contributed to his laterreligious disillusionment.

Sometime during his lateteens or early adulthoodLincoln encountered The Age ofReason by Deist Thomas Paine.Deists hold that there is aCreator, but that he is notinvolved in human affairs.Lincoln reportedly wrote anessay against the divinity ofChrist and the inspiration ofthe Bible.

The manuscript was allegedlydestroyed by a friend to protectLincoln’s reputation. ButLincoln’s teacher and friendWilliam Mentor Graham, whoclaimed to have read the essay,said that it was rather “adefense of universal salvation.”Said Graham, “I remember wellhis argument. He took thepassage, ‘As in Adam all die,even so in Christ shall all bemade alive,’ and followed withthe proposition that whateverthe breach or injury of Adam’s

10

Lincoln atGettysburgby FletcherC. RansomBattle of Gettysburg dead–

photographed July 5–6, 1863.

Lincoln never joined any church ordenomination. Why? Perhaps hisUniversalist leanings clashed with thehell-fire condemnation and exclusivism...the my-way-or-the-highwaydogmatism that characterizes so manychurches and denominations.

transgression to the humanrace was, which no doubt wasvery great, was made just andright by the atonement ofChrist.” Historian Mark Nollagrees: “At least early on,Lincoln was probably also aUniversalist who believed in theeventual salvation of all people.”

Lincoln ventured into manydifferent vocations. He piloted aflatboat carrying local produceand livestock down theMississippi to New Orleans. Hetried his hand at operating ageneral store. He served as acaptain in the Illinois Militiaduring the Black Hawk War. Heserved as postmaster, countysurveyor, and finally decided toteach himself law. One of hismentors in that professiondemanded that he learn theposition of his opponent as wellas his own, since only thencould he counter all possiblearguments. This habit seemedto carry over into his thoughtsabout spiritual matters.

In 1846, after a decade of lawpractice and four successiveterms in the Illinois Legislature,Lincoln was elected for oneterm to the U.S. House ofRepresentatives. Afterwards hereturned to his law practice in

Springfield. For the next twodecades Lincoln represented awide variety of companies andindividuals. A master of legalargumentation, he appearedbefore the Illinois SupremeCourt in no less than 175 cases.

Around 1850, Lincoln metRev. James Smith, a Scottishimmigrant and Deist who hadconverted to Christianity. Hebecame pastor of thePresbyterian Church inSpringfield, Illinois, whereLincoln and his familyfrequently attended. One ofSmith’s books was a part ofLincoln’s library, The Christian’sDefense, a defense of theinspiration and authenticity ofthe Bible. Smith asserted thatwhen it came to matters of faith,that order, logic and reasonshould outweigh emotion.

After his presidentialinauguration in 1861, Lincolnand his wife, Mary, beganattending New York AvenuePresbyterian Church inWashington, pastored by theRev. Dr. Phineas Gurley, whowas also U.S. Senate Chaplain.Gurley’s coherent, reasonedand thoughtful sermonsappealed to Lincoln. Gurleydid not involve himself and his

church inpolitics, afurther plus forLincoln, whobelieved God tobe far abovehuman politics.Not surprisingly,Gurley became a closefriend of the President and hiswife, preaching the funeral fortheir son William in 1862, andofficiating at the funeral forLincoln himself three yearslater. Many years afterward in aletter, Gurley would vouch forLincoln’s Christianity in nouncertain terms (in spite of thefact that Lincoln was not amember).

The Second Inaugural Address

Gurley’s sermons helped inspireLincoln’s Second InauguralAddress—just six weeks beforethe President’s death. If therewere a single documentsummarizing Lincoln’s thoughtsabout God at the end of his life,this would be it.

The Second InauguralAddress should silence those“When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I

was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburgand saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then

and there consecrated myself to Christ.”

William Wallace"Willie" Lincoln,third son ofAbraham and MaryTodd Lincoln. Hedied of an illness atthe age of 11.

Rev. Dr. PhineasGurley, pastor ofNYAPC, 1860-1868,was a friend andspiritual advisor to Lincoln

SPRING 2015 11

who claim that Lincolnremained a lifelong skeptic, orthat the Civil War was a meredispute over state’s rights. Inthis speech Lincoln goesbeyond politics, attributing theevents of the previous fouryears to the acts of God in theworld, mentioning him 14times in the speech.

Further, Lincoln unequivocallycasts the war as a battle to endslavery—to free one eighth of the U.S. population. Hedenounces the religiousinstitutionalism that conscriptsthe Bible and prayer asweapons for its own use.

He argues against the idea ofa tribal god who supports oneparty or polity over another.“Both read the same Bible andpray to the same God, andeach invokes his aid againstthe other. It may seem strangethat any men should dare toask a just God’s assistance inwringing their bread from thesweat of other men’s faces, butlet us judge not that we be notjudged.”

Lincoln does not blame theSouth for slavery, rather hereminds his audience thatslavery was a shameful part ofAmerican culture from the

beginning. He characterizes thewar as a natural consequence ofslavery—or rather the judgmentof God on the nation as a whole.Finally he calls for a new era offorgiveness and reconciliation,“with malice toward none withcharity toward all” in the wakeof the war.

Students of theology may seemore than a few glimpses ofthe Calvinist doctrines ofPredestination and Necessitywoven through Lincoln’smessage. As his wife oncecommented: “Mr. Lincoln’smaxim and philosophy were:‘What is to be, will be, and noprayers of ours can arrest thedecree.’” But Lincoln’s theologyand his specific view of thenature of God are somewhatbeside the point. His SecondInaugural Address clearly showshim to be a believer.

Yet Abraham Lincoln neverjoined any church ordenomination. Why? Perhapshis Universalist leaningsclashed with the hell-firecondemnation and exclusivismpreached from many pulpits.Or perhaps he wanted to avoidthe my-way-or-the-highwaydogmatism that characterizesso many churches anddenominations. Lincoln, from

all accounts a tolerant andforgiving man, had littletolerance for this kind ofintolerance. He never stoppedlearning and growing in hisspiritual understanding.

Had he lived, we don’t knowwhere Lincoln’s thoughts andstudies would have taken him,just as we don’t know preciselywhat he believed when he wasalive. But Jesus told us “bytheir fruits you shall knowthem.” Maybe we shouldn’tfocus so much on Lincoln’sspiritual journey—since apartfrom Christ all of our journeysare filled with dead-ends,detours and disasters. Maybewe should focus on hisenduring accomplishments—and by Lincoln’s ownadmission, they were not hisaccomplishments, but those ofGod working through him!

Whatever teachers Lincolnread or listened to, whicheverchurches he attended, he neverchecked his brains or hiscapacity for critical thought atthe door. As the instrument ofGod who fought to freeAmerican slaves from tyranny,Lincoln maintained hispersonal freedom from religioustyranny. What kind of persondid God choose to lead thegreat battle to bring freedom toall Americans? He chose aperson who was free—one whowas not enslaved by religiousinstitutionalism—one who wasgenuinely free in Christ. q

Syndicated cartoon artist andAssociate Editor of Plain Truth andCWR magazines, Monte Wolvertonlives in Washington state.

12 CWRm

The Second InauguralAddress should silencethose who claim thatLincoln remained a

lifelong skeptic...mentioning God 14 times in

the speech.

Whatever teachers Lincoln reador listened to, whicheverchurches he attended, he neverchecked his brains or his capacityfor critical thought at the door...

Lincoln’s SecondInaugural Address, 1865

MORE POINTS TO PONDER:

1. Throughout his earthly

ministry Jesus consistently

defied the attempts of religious

professionals to shoehorn him

into their religious practices and

beliefs. Jesus was a Jew, and he

faithfully observed the old

covenant law. Why didn’t he just

agree to all standards and

definitions the religious

professionals attempted to

impose on him?

2. Isn’t one of the issues we

should consider the very

definition of the word

“religion”? In its broadest sense,

most think of religion as a

system of beliefs that offers a

relationship with God, or at

the very least an improved

and enhanced relationship

with God, on the basis of

human deeds, work and

performance. Even the secular

use of the word “religion”

speaks of something

habitually done, over and

over again, repetitiously,

without thinking.

3. However,

Christianity is not, as

originally and classically

taught and proclaimed

a religion. Authentic

Christianity is a

relationship and

way of life, given by

God’s grace,

wherein Christ-followers live a

new life, the life of Jesus, as

the risen life of Jesus Christ

lives within them.

4. Is there such a thing as an

ir-religious Christian?

5. Can a “none” be a Christian,

while refusing to give allegiance

to membership policies,

initiation rites, rituals and

ceremonies prescribed and

ordered by a religious entity?

6. How does one become and

remain a Christ-follower?

7. When the topic of “nones”

is introduced, why do you feel

many within organized/big

business Christendom claim

that the “nones” who do not

attend a brick-and-mortar

church are a proof that the sky is

falling and that Jesus’ Second

Coming must be near? Do such

individuals have any vested

interests for making such

claims?

8. Why are so many people

now identifying themselves as

religious “nones”?

9. Is removing oneself from

what might be an authoritarian

or even abusive church de facto

proof that one is a Christian?

SPRING 2015

Chasing 120—A Story of Food,

Faith, Fraud and the Pursuit of

Longevity

Perpetually grinning, fast-talkingTexas adman-turned- preacher Dr.Tyler Belknap promises health and

longevity to a cult following via hisnationally televised daily infomercialprograms. The meteoric success ofBelknap’s Wellness 120 empire is fueledby “the pursuit of longevity,” touted byBelknap as a biblically-based promise of120 healthy years for those who followhis regimen and purchase his nutritionalproducts.

The dark side of Wellness 120 is thatmany of Belknap’s supplements are lacedwith exotic substances and geneticallymodified plants developed in his high-tech secret research lab. Wellness 120creative director Dave Whitman and hiswife Marcia suddenly find themselves inthe center of a huge crisis when theirrobustly healthy teenage son suffers braindamage from one of Belknap’spsychoactive, genetically modified foodproducts. The Whitmans must come togrips with the fact that the charismaticleader they once admired is a crook andcharlatan whose empire has been built onfalse promises and religious fraud.

Chasing 120, written by author, artistand syndicated cartoonist MonteWolverton, reflecting many of his lifeexperiences, is an easy, entertainingread, filled with intrigue andauthenticity—a story that speaks to theshattered dreams of so many who haveexperienced their house of pseudo-religious cards falling around them.

Available at

www.ptm.org/120

and Amazon.com

What does a Christ-follower “look like” inyour opinion?

A w a r d

Wi n n i n g !