Settel, T. S., ed. The Faith of JFK. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 1965.
The Faith of JFK is a compilation of segments of John F. Kennedy’s speeches and writings and related material, mostly from the time of his presidency. One might hope for an analysis of his faith and its influence on his public life, but perhaps it was too early for such considerations in 1965.
The segments of Kennedy’s speeches and proclamations gives one a sense of his espoused views on the subjects of his religion, American government and foreign affairs, which he sometimes presented forcefully. On a few occasions, the quotes are so short as to have almost no context except to show that he quoted some source. Generally, the edited segments strike a nice balance between being representative and brief.
The largest segment of the book juxtaposes parts of Kennedy’s speeches in which he quoted scripture with the verses from the Bible. Sometimes they show a thoughtful reflection on how biblical ideas applied to the issues at hand (probably this was something of the intent of the collection, to demonstrate the president’s adherence to both Catholic and American ideals). Often, the biblical quotations are selected to support a point in the speech, but when one reads the passage from which it is taken it appears to be at best tangentially related or actually related to another subject altogether. This is far too common even today. Even in this second case, this chapter is illuminating, because seeing the sometimes tenuous connection between the Bible and the speech that quotes it can help one more clearly see what each is really addressing.
The best parts of the book are those that don’t relate to Kennedy’s quotations of the Bible, poems or other literature. Kennedy seemed to express his ideals and policies most eloquently when he was not leaning on other sources. In those times, he might have most clearly expressed his true views, without obscuring them with quotes that carry their own weight and meaning.
If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
God and Ronald Reagan by Paul Kengor
His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization by Anthony Esolen
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