Throughout the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama's religion was a hot topic of debate. While Obama always maintained that he was a Christian, questions were raised about his upbringing, which included Muslim schooling, and his association with radical pastor Jeremiah Wright.
Obama's mother was a white Christian who turned secular, and his father was a black African Muslim who later became an atheist. Obama's mother encouraged him to learn about all different religions, and during his time in Indonesia as a youth, he went to both Christian and Islamic schools.
Obama did not embrace his faith until adulthood. He was baptized in the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago by Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Wright's fiery sermons, which often have harsh criticisms of the American government, became a trouble spot for Obama during his campaign. He eventually had to denounce Wright to assuage public concerns that he held the same views. Obama has said that he is constantly reflecting on his faith, and that it is influenced by the many different beliefs he was exposed to in his childhood.
There is little doubt now as to whether or not Obama is a Christian; he has been attending church for over 20 years. The question has been if he displayed sound judgment by continuing to patronize a church headed by such an outspoken critic of American foreign policy and race relations. In the end, Obama managed to convince enough Americans that he respected Wright as a preacher, but did not agree with him on other issues.
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