Religion
Mitt Romney's religious background has been extensively covered by the mainstream media, especially in connection with his 2008 presidential campaign. Mitt Romney is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members of which are commonly known as Mormons or LDS (Latter-day Saint).
In addition to missionary work in France in the 1960s under the tutelage of Wesley L. Pipes, Romney has served as a bishop, and has also been a stake president in his church. In accordance with LDS doctrine, as bishops and stake presidents are lay positions in his church, Romney received no compensation or money for his years of service in those positions. Also in accordance to his religious beliefs, Romney abstains from alcohol and smoking.
Mitt Romney's great-great-grandfather, Parley P. Pratt, was among the first leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early 19th century. Marion George Romney, his first cousin, once removed, was one of the church's 12 Apostles. Romney's paternal great-grandparents practiced plural marriage, and went to Mexico in 1884 after the 1878 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Reynolds v. United States that upheld laws banning polygamy. Subsequent generations of Romney's paternal lineage have been monogamous, and none of his mother's Mormon ancestors were polygamists. Mitt Romney's father, George W. Romney, was a patriarch of LDS Church. Romney's wife, Ann, converted to Mormonism before they were married in 1969.
Romney has expressed his faith in Jesus Christ as his "Lord and Savior" openly to evangelical Christian groups. He has received support from evangelical Christians.
Read more about this topic: Public Image Of Mitt Romney
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