Sarah Palin's Faith

A Faith Snapshot of Sarah Palin

Palin in 2016
Palin in 2016. Kris Connor / Stringer / Getty Images

Sarah Palin calls herself a "Bible-believing Christian." She was baptized in the Roman Catholic church but then raised in the Assemblies of God denomination from the time she was four-years-old until 2002. Today she no longer considers herself a Pentecostal. In high school, she led her local Fellowship of Christian Athletes group.

Sarah Palin's Political Profile

  • Party: Republican
  • Birthdate: February 11, 1964
  • Education: University of Idaho, B.S., 1987
  • Experience: Former Governor of Alaska, Chairwoman, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission; 2-Term Mayor, Wasilla, Alaska; 2-Term City Council, Wasilla, Alaska.
  • Declared Candidacy: Named John McCain's vice presidential running mate in the 2008 elections.
  • Religion/Church: Evangelical Christian; Non-Denominational

Palin was rebaptized at age 12 in the Wasilla Assembly of God. When she left the church in 2002, she and her family joined Wasilla Bible Church as their place of worship. According to the National Catholic Reporter, today Palin frequents an independent, non-denominational Christian church known as Church on the Rock, located in Wasilla, Alaska. It was also reported in the past by an Associated Press religion writer, that Palin sometimes attended the Juneau Christian Center in Juneau, Alaska.

Sarah Palin's Expressions of Faith

When early testing showed that Palin's fifth child would be born with Down syndrome, Palin's pro-life stance and undoubtedly her Christian faith, kept her from ever considering ending the pregnancy. When little "Trig" was born, Sarah told the Anchorage Daily News, "she was sad at first but they now feel blessed that God chose them." This press statement from the Palin family explains in more detail:

"Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed."
Sarah Palin holding son Trig Palin
Politician and conservative activist Sarah Palin holds her son Trig Palin as she attends a rally for the Tea Party Express national tour October 22, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. Joshua Lott / Stringer / Getty Images

Palin opposes abortion in all cases, except to save the life of the mother. As governor of Alaska, she stated:

"Faith is very important to so many of us here in America, and I would never support any government effort to stifle our freedom of religion or freedom of expression or freedom of speech.”

Also as governor of Alaska, Palin strengthened the faith-based initiatives that had been set up by her predecessor. She supported capital punishment and favored schools teaching both evolution and creationism. She opposed embryonic stem cell research and said: “We should not create human life, create an embryo and then destroy it for research if there are other options out there.”

In a 2008 vice presidential debate, Palin said she is “tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners,” but “I don’t support defining marriage as anything but between one man and one woman.” She also indicated that she would support a federal constitutional amendment, like the one in Alaska, banning same-sex marriage.

Michael Paulson, a religion writer for the Boston Globe, put together this faith perspective called, "Sarah Palin on faith, life, and creation." In it he includes this portion of a 2006 Anchorage Daily News article:

"Her Christian faith, they say, came from her mother, who took her children to area Bible churches as they were growing up (Sarah is the third of four siblings). They say her faith has been steady since high school, when she led the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and grew stronger as she sought out believers in her college years. Palin doesn't brandish her religion on the campaign trail, but that doesn't prevent others from doing so."

During her 2008 campaign for the vice-presidency, Palin spoke at the Wasilla Assembly of God, asking members to pray "for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right also for this country," and "that our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure we're praying for: that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."

A longtime Alaska resident, Chas St. George, said, "Wearing her faith quietly fits more with Palin's personality."

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Fairchild, Mary. "Sarah Palin's Faith." Learn Religions, Sep. 7, 2021, learnreligions.com/sarah-palins-faith-701386. Fairchild, Mary. (2021, September 7). Sarah Palin's Faith. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/sarah-palins-faith-701386 Fairchild, Mary. "Sarah Palin's Faith." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/sarah-palins-faith-701386 (accessed March 19, 2024).