Biden Commends Black Churches for Instilling the ‘Strength of Faith’

President Joe Biden on Sunday praised the presence of Black churches, stating that the world would be a different place without them to demonstrate the “power of faith” during difficult times.

The Democratic president delivered his remarks at St. John Baptist Church during the final day of his two-day visit to South Carolina, aimed at energizing Black voters ahead of the party’s primary on Feb. 3.

After arriving on Saturday, Biden visited a predominantly Black barbershop, spoke at a state Democratic Party dinner, and concluded his visit by addressing congregations at separate churches on Sunday.

During his visit, the president sought to convey his commitment to South Carolina, which played a critical role in reviving his campaign in 2020, and his determination to regain the support of Black voters, who were instrumental in his election but are now less enthusiastic about him.

A devout Roman Catholic who attends Mass weekly, Biden praised Black churches for teaching the “power of faith” during his address to the Baptist congregation.

He urged worshippers to imagine a world without Black churches to turn to during dark times.

Biden echoed the words of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as he spoke about the churches’ contribution towards achieving a more just and perfect union.

After his address, Biden issued a written statement expressing condolences for the deaths of three U.S. service members and the injuries of others in a drone strike near the Syrian border, which he attributed to Iran-backed militia groups.

Later in the day, the president briefly mentioned the drone strike and requested a moment of silence while appearing at the banquet hall of Brookland Baptist Church, where he has a longstanding relationship with Pastor Charles Jackson.

Earlier this month, Biden delivered one of his first campaign speeches of the year at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where nine Black parishioners were fatally shot in 2015.