Is Carly Fiorina A Christian?

Carly Fiorina's conservative views on abortion and gay marriage are often associated with religion, but the Republican presidential candidate isn't touting her faith as a key part of her campaign the way many Republican politicians do. Her lack of soundbites on the subject has many Americans wondering whether or not Fiorina is a Christian, but she has spoken about her faith on rare occasions. The short answer is that yes, she is a Christian. But The New York Times described her as "an irregular churchgoer, not devoted to any denomination."

Fiorina grew up Episcopalian, a church which describes itself as "Protestant, yet Catholic" because of its mixed roots in the Roman Catholic Church and the Early Church. When The Christian Post asked Fiorina about her faith in February, she said: "I am a Christian. I believe that every one of us is equal in the eyes of God, and therefore, I know that everyone is capable of living a life of dignity, purpose, and meaning." Fiorina isn't trying to hide her faith, and is using her religion to her advantage when she can. Her website says, "Growing up, Carly’s mom taught her an essential lesson: 'What you are is God’s gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift to God.'"

The presidential hopeful has brought up her spirituality when discussing the loss of her stepdaughter to drug addiction. She told Iowa’s Faith and Family Forum in April, "It was my husband Frank’s and my personal relationship with Jesus Christ that saved us from a desperate sadness."

Fiorina's political agenda that is gaining the most attention recently is her opposition to abortion, but she doesn't typically argue for her pro-life stance based on religion. Instead, she draws on people's emotions to make her point, saying things like "every human life has potential, and every human life is precious" and describing graphic images of aborted fetuses.

However, when it comes to gay marriage, Fiorina does use her religious beliefs to explain her stance. During a visit to the Western Conservative Summit, she said, "Principles are most important when they are most difficult to uphold. I have been an advocate of civil unions because of benefits. That is very different than the Supreme Court telling us what marriage is. Marriage is an institution grounded in spirituality between a man and woman that can bring forth life." It's clear that her anti-gay marriage views are rooted in the religious belief that marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman.

Although she doesn't broadcast her faith at every campaign event, Fiorina considers herself a Christian, and her religion influences her beliefs on controversial issues.