Lincoln's Use of the Bible

The author traces how Abraham Lincoln’s lifelong engagement with the Bible shaped his character, rhetoric, and moral outlook, describing early domestic instruction, habitual reading and memorization, and frequent biblical allusions in speeches and letters. The narrative assembles testimony from friends, clergy, and contemporaries about his reverence for Scripture, recounts personal reflections in which he turned to Scripture for consolation and guidance during crises, and considers how biblical phrasing and ethical ideas influenced his public pronouncements and private conduct.