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Kamala's Faith Story
A loving God, the Good Samaritan, serving others, and a deep respect for all faith traditions — these experiences, teachings, beliefs, and values Vice President Kamala Harris grew up with have shaped her into the leader she is today.
Her faith journey started when she was a little girl, singing in the children’s choir at the 23rd Avenue Church of God in Oakland, California, where she was born and raised. This was where she learned to have a living faith, one that expresses itself through one’s life, especially through service to others, particularly the vulnerable and powerless.
As she has said, “I’ve learned that faith is not only something we express in church and prayerful reflection, but also in the way we live our lives, do our work, and pursue our respective callings.”
For Kamala, her calling is to public service:
“I can trace my belief in the importance of public service back to learning the parable of the good Samaritan and other biblical teachings about looking out for our neighbors — and understanding that our neighbors aren’t just those who live in our ZIP code, but include the stranger, too. Over the course of my career, I’ve always tried to be an advocate for the voiceless and vulnerable …”
Harris’ favorite Bible verse — “We walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7) — recognizes that we don’t have all the answers, but also that we do not face life’s challenges alone. Our loving God is with us. “The God I have always believed in is a loving God.” It is this God in whom Kamala puts her trust.
God is also with her through her church family. From them she draws strength and feels “grounded in a complex world.” Her church provides Kamala “a sense of community and belonging where we can build lasting relationships and be there for one another in times of need.” Her pastor, the Rev. Dr. Amos Brown, says Harris is there for others: “She is an encourager; she encourages all people regardless of their social station in life.”
While a deeply committed and faithful Christian, Vice President Harris has great respect for other faith traditions. Her mother Shyamala Gopalan and relatives in India took her to Hindu temples. She joins her husband, Doug Emhoff, in Jewish traditions and celebrations.
This respect syncs with her baptist tradition, which has a long and distinguished legacy of support and activism for religious liberty and the separation of Church and State.
Especially now that she is at the pinnacle of power, Vice President Harris keeps her trusting relationship with God at the center. “Like many people of faith, I have private conversations with God where I usually ask for the strength and protection to make good decisions and do the right thing.”
