---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the embarrassing problems for the…"
description: "\"One of the embarrassing problems for the early nineteenth-century champions of the Christian faith was that not one of the first six Presidents of the ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/mortimer-adler-8067_christian_one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the_535879.jpg"
---

#  One of the embarrassing problems for the early…

![“One of the embarrassing problems for the early nineteenth-century champions of the Christian faith was that not one of the first six Presidents of the United States was an orthodox Christian.” quote by Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/mortimer-adler-8067_christian_one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the_535879.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/mortimer-adler-8067_christian_one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the_535879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/mortimer-adler-8067_christian_one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the_535879.jpg)

> “One of the embarrassing problems for the early nineteenth-century champions of the Christian faith was that not one of the first six Presidents of the United States was an orthodox Christian.”

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Early American presidents often held unorthodox Christian beliefs, challenging the perception of a uniformly orthodox leadership.

**In simple terms:** Presidents weren’t all traditional Christians.

Key Takeaway

Recognize historical religious diversity.

Themes

religion history politics leadership

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

historical educational

When to use this quote

- education curriculum
- public discourse
- interfaith dialogue
- historical analysis

Key Concepts

orthodoxy secularism political identity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this affect views on religion in politics?
- What implications for modern religious identity?

A Different Perspective

Historical context shows faith varied among leaders.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-faith/) [Embarrassing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassing/) [Faith Presidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-presidents-4491744/) [Orthodox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox/) [Orthodox christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox-christian/) [Presidents Of The United States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidents-of-the-united-states/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States Orthodox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-orthodox-4491745/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/)

## Related quotes

> [How do we receive the highest mystery of Divine love to us ? the mystery of the Christian faith? With our mind, heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/how-do-we-receive-the-highest-mystery-of-divine-love-to-us-the/)

[John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/)

> [ “\[M\]ost Americans are still drawing some water from the Christian well. But a growing number are inventing their own versions of what Christianity means,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-douthat/m-ost-americans-are-still-drawing-some-water-from-the-christian-well/)

[Ross Douthat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-douthat/)

> [Today's widespread relegation of religion to merely something people do only in the privacy of their homes or churches would have been unimaginable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/today-s-widespread-relegation-of-religion-to-merely-something-people/)

[Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/)

> [The decay of old aristocratic prejudices against greedy speculation, the undermining of orthodox Christian faith (which forbids avarice)... the debauching of agriculture to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/the-decay-of-old-aristocratic-prejudices-against-greedy-speculation/)

[Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/)

> [The historical orthodox Christian faith is extremely wide and diverse,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/the-historical-orthodox-christian-faith-is-extremely-wide-and-diverse/)

[Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/)

> [Well, I affirm orthodox Christian faith. I affirm the Nicene Creed. I don't think I'm doing anything terribly new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/well-i-affirm-orthodox-christian-faith-i-affirm-the-nicene-creed-i/)

[Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/)

> [It has been my privilege on various occasions to converse with presidents of the United States and important men in other governments. At the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/it-has-been-my-privilege-on-various-occasions-to-converse-with/)

[Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/)

> [I almost laughed about the Machiavellian plans of the presidents of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fidel-castro/i-almost-laughed-about-the-machiavellian-plans-of-the-presidents-of/)

[Fidel Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fidel-castro/)

> [There have been many Presidents of the United States and the roll will be indefinitely extended. We have had a number of brilliant soldiers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-depew/there-have-been-many-presidents-of-the-united-states-and-the-roll/)

[Chauncey Depew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-depew/)

> [The bottom feeders of the entertainment industry were never invited to presidential inaugurations. The bottom feeders of the entertainment were never used as fundraisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-bottom-feeders-of-the-entertainment-industry-were-never-invited/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Though it was never a goal in life, it has occurred to me that I've met six presidents of the United States. OK, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-jenkins/though-it-was-never-a-goal-in-life-it-has-occurred-to-me-that-i-ve/)

[Dan Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-jenkins/)

> [“He was also one of the twelve Presidents of the United States to own slaves, which is a larger figure than the number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarett-kobek/he-was-also-one-of-the-twelve-presidents-of-the-united-states-to-own/)

[Jarett Kobek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarett-kobek/)

> [I would rather be an independent senator, governed by my own views, going for the good of the country, uncontrolled by any thing which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/i-would-rather-be-an-independent-senator-governed-by-my-own-views/)

[John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/)

> [Abraham Lincoln and Millard Fillmore had the same title. They were both presidents of the United States, but their tenure in office and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/abraham-lincoln-and-millard-fillmore-had-the-same-title-they-were/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [“Simon Wolf wrote during Woodrow Wilson’s tenure, “President Grant did more on behalf of American citizens of Jewish faith at home and abroad than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/simon-wolf-wrote-during-woodrow-wilson-s-tenure-president-grant-did/)

[Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/)

## More by Mortimer Adler

> [I wonder if most people ever ask themselves why love is connected with reproduction. And if they do ask themselves about this, I wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/i-wonder-if-most-people-ever-ask-themselves-why-love-is-connected/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [A good book can teach you about the world and about yourself. You learn more than how to read better; you also learn more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/a-good-book-can-teach-you-about-the-world-and-about-yourself-you/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [We are selfish when we are exclusively or predominantly concerned with the good for ourselves. We are altruistic when we are exclusively or predominantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/we-are-selfish-when-we-are-exclusively-or-predominantly-concerned/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [Habits are formed by the repetition of particular acts. They are strengthened by an increase in the number of repeated acts. Habits are also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/habits-are-formed-by-the-repetition-of-particular-acts-they-are/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [There is a strange fact about the human mind, a fact that differentiates the mind sharply from the body. The body is limited in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/there-is-a-strange-fact-about-the-human-mind-a-fact-that/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [The complexities of adult life get in the way of the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/the-complexities-of-adult-life-get-in-the-way-of-the-truth/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [Think how different human societies would be if they were based on love rather than justice. But no such societies have ever existed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/think-how-different-human-societies-would-be-if-they-were-based-on/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [I suspect that most of the individuals who have religious faith are content with blind faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/i-suspect-that-most-of-the-individuals-who-have-religious-faith-are/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [Teachers may think they are stuffing minds, but all they are ever affecting is the memory. Nothing can ever be forced into anyone's mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/teachers-may-think-they-are-stuffing-minds-but-all-they-are-ever/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [The love which moves the world, according to common Christian belief, is God's love and the love of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/the-love-which-moves-the-world-according-to-common-christian-belief/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [Being influential is not the mark of a great book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/being-influential-is-not-the-mark-of-a-great-book/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [Angels are able to know and understand better than the human intellect can, precisely because such knowledge and understanding comes to them by way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/angels-are-able-to-know-and-understand-better-than-the-human/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [Men value things in three ways: as useful, as pleasant or sources of pleasure, and as excellent, or as intrinsically admirable or honorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/men-value-things-in-three-ways-as-useful-as-pleasant-or-sources-of/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [Erotic or sexual love can truly be love if it is not selfishly sexual or lustful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/erotic-or-sexual-love-can-truly-be-love-if-it-is-not-selfishly-sexual/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

> [I suspect that most of the individuals who have religious faith are content with blind faith. They feel no obligation to understand what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/i-suspect-that-most-of-the-individuals-who-have-religious-faith-are-2/)

[Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

[Explore all 84 Mortimer Adler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/)

## More Christian quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/)

[David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/)

> [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/)

[Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/)

> [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/)

[Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/)

[Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/)

> [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Poor David Hume is dying fast, but with more real cheerfulness and good humor and with more real resignation to the necessary course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/poor-david-hume-is-dying-fast-but-with-more-real-cheerfulness-and/)

[Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/)

> [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/)

[Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/)

> [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/)

[J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/)

[Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "One of the embarrassing problems for the early nineteenth-century champions of the Christian faith was that not one of the first six Presidents of the United States was an orthodox Christian.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mortimer Adler"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the-early-nineteenth-century/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christian"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the-early-nineteenth-century/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/mortimer-adler-8067_christian_one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the_535879.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/mortimer-adler-8067_christian_one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the_535879.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/mortimer-adler-8067_christian_one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the_535879.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“One of the embarrassing problems for the early nineteenth-century champions of the Christian faith was that…” — Mortimer Adler",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mortimer Adler",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "One of the embarrassing problems for...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the-early-nineteenth-century/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/one-of-the-embarrassing-problems-for-the-early-nineteenth-century/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
