As the world begins to mourn the death of Ronald Reagan, numerous media outlets are paying tribute to the 40th president’s political and professional achievements. But what about Reagan’s spiritual legacy?  His commitment to Christianity has been questioned and debated over the years, yet his son, Michael Reagan, wrote in April 2004: “My father is a godly man. He loves God. When he decided to run for president, he didn't do it to raise himself up, to be admired, or to have others think he was great. ... He did it out of duty. He thought God had called him to run for president.”

For anyone interested in exploring this intriguing aspect of the former president’s life, a handful of recent books delve into Reagan’s faith.

Author Paul Kengor writes, “Ronald Reagan was a deeply committed Christian –and contrary to the charges of critics, his faith wasn't just a private matter.” In his 2004 book, God and Ronald Reagan, Kengor explored Reagan's religious faith and its impact on his political life. After reviewing Reagan's public and private statements and writings, and conducting extensive interviews with Reagan intimates (including Casper Weinberger, Ed Meese, and many others), Kengor concluded that the “guiding principle of this American hero's political philosophy was his quiet but rock-solid Christian faith.”

Kengor addresses the two reasons some Christians have criticized Reagan's religious commitment: his failure to attend church regularly as President and Nancy Reagan's involvement with astrology. While examining these matters seriously, Kengor shows why they don't get to the heart of Reagan's true religious perspective, which was more fully and accurately expressed by two seminal events.

First was the attempt on his life in 1981, after which he wrote: "Whatever happens now I owe my life to God and will try to serve Him every way I can." The second was his trip to the Soviet Union in 1988, during which he confounded his atheist hosts by peppering his public statements with religious references and spoke out strongly for religious freedom.

Publishers Weekly wrote of God and Ronald Reagan: “More devotional than scholarly, Kengor's treatment emphasizes the ex-president's affinities with evangelical Protestantism; Reagan ‘invited Christ into his life,’ acknowledged God's ‘special plan’ for him, believed in end-times prophecy and even had his presidency foretold by the Holy Spirit during a prayer circle."