In a column for National Review, David French laid out a compelling case that questions President Obama's profession of Christianity. French is careful to preface his writing to state that he has no way of knowing what faith is truly in a man's heart, but does draw conclusions based on the way the president, in this case, "practices his civil religion."

French touched on the faiths of Obama's predecessors, former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Although Clinton was able to conjure the wording from his Southern Baptist roots to soothe the ears of some Evangelicals, his policies frustrated them, especially his pro-abortion stance. Bush's professed Christianity, on the other hand, was more "recognizable" with its focus on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but with an added burden to live out a social Gospel based on an "oddly unbiblical optimism about human nature." That optimism leading to a failure "to understand the cultural challenges in Iraq and Afghanistan," French explained.

But, French asks, "What about President Obama? What is his public faith?"

To answer that, French points to one of Obama's mentors, the infamous Pastor Jeremiah Wright -- known to proclaim, "God damn America," from the pulpit. Obama willfully spent 1,000 Sundays under the direction of Rev. Wright. But French argues that Wright's ties to black-liberation theology is not what manifested into Obama's public faith, but the adopted beliefs of Wright's denomination, the United Church of Christ.

"The UCC, like many Mainline denominations, is scarcely Christian in any meaningful theological sense," French writes. "Rather, it draws on selective Christian teachings and selective Christian traditions to provide general spiritual comfort and, specifically, to inspire its members to progressive social activism."

This denomination, French states, is not interested in the Apostles' Creed or other rigid doctrines, but instead remains focused on love, peace, and possibility. To link Obama's association with this line of thinking, French points to Obama's own words from 2004:

So, I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.

Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he’s also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher.

What I believe in is that if I live my life as well as I can, that I will be rewarded.

French was sure to point out that Obama has previously declared that Jesus indeed "died for our sins," but argued that when viewed against these other statements, "he is not speaking the language of most orthodox believers," something he said journalist Lisa Miller summarized perfectly in 2008 about Obama's beliefs: "Christ’s gift of salvation was to the community of believers, not to individual people in isolation.”

French added to this argument stating that Obama's theology contends that all world religions are basically the same and believes that Jesus' death was more a show of "love and commitment to nonviolence" than it was a blood atonement in sacrifice for the world's sin.

"The result of this theology," French writes, "is a transition of focus from a relationship with the divine to a relationship with man, and to advocacy of very specific social policies."

It is therefore ironic, French declares, that Obama puts so much emphasis on his belief in the separation of church and state, yet attended a church that is "thoroughly and officially invested in politics."

In 2007, Obama said:

My faith teaches me that I can sit in church and pray all I want, but I won’t be fulfilling God’s will unless I go out and do the Lord’s work.

French found this statement curious in light of the constant blowback from the Left decrying the religious Right for injecting their faith into politics. French furthered saying the church Obama attended for twenty years was more of a "CurchPAC" than a house of worship.

French concludes:

There is remarkable conformity, in fact, between President Obama’s words and policies and his church’s official positions on public policy — a level of conformity that would cause alarms to ring across the progressive spectrum if there were similar Evangelical church statements to which a conservative president adhered. 

Barack Obama may believe in black-liberation theology, or he may not. He may have a close relationship with God, or he may not. We can’t know his heart. But when it comes to his civic religion, President Obama is his church’s — and liberal Christianity’s — great and mighty instrument.

Reach French's entire column here.

Image source: Evan Vucci/AP