What was Andy Griffiths religion?

Answer 1

ANSWER 1: Andy Griffith was, unquestionably, Christian; though he intentionally avoided specifying of precisely what denomination.

He was born into the Baptist church, and was so raised. However, his love of music, and his desire to play Musical Instruments caused him to make the acquaintance of the pastor of a Moravian church in the town of his upbringing. Moravians have long valued music, and the Moravian pastor was also the leader of a local brass band, and so taught Griffith to play the trombone. Eventually Griffith played in the band in the Moravian church, which means he attended worship services there. The Moravian church, just to make sure the reader, here, is clear, is closer in nature to the Lutheran church, which means quite different from Baptists. This, then, quite likely helped to enculturate Griffith into the less theologically rigid, and more open, welcoming and even tolerant faith that he exhibited for the rest of his life.

Griffith went to college at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which had a strong religion program, but not with any particular denominational affiliation. Griffith did his undergraduate work there, starting out in pre-ministerial studies, but ultimately graduating with a degree in music.

His shift from ministerial studies to music happened when he approached the Moravian church's seminary and asked if he could attend seminary, and be ordained into a music ministry. He was told he could not, and so he switched his major to music; and he also became involved in the university's acting group... an activity that would, of course, ultimately lead to his long and illustrious acting career.

Throughout his life, Griffith both professed, and was observed, to have a deep and abiding Christian faith, but he never specified any denomination... quite intentionally, from what his closest friends and ex-wives said in later years. Griffith's faith, in fact, seemed more about his personal relationship with God, with which he felt he needed little help from organized religion.

Though the Moravians love of music is largely of the liturgical type, Griffith's Baptist roots likely informed his observable love of old-timey Gospel Music; and he recorded several gospel albums during his life.

His religious beliefs in life translated not so much into direct preaching of any particular Biblical or theological beliefs. Rather, his television programs -- specifically The Andy Griffith Show, and Matlock -- both featured morality-play-like scripts which conveyed traditional Chrisitan values and parables, but without any traditional Christian pontificating. Even the local church in The Andy Griffith Show's little town of Mayberry was intentionally ambiguous as to denominational affiliation.

Shortly after his death (within only five hours of which he was buried in the family cemetery), Griffith's widow said this: "Andy was a person of incredibly strong Christian faith and was prepared for the day he would be called Home to his Lord. He was the love of my life, my constant companion, my partner, and my best friend. I cannot imagine life without Andy, but I take comfort and strength in God's grace and in the knowledge that Andy is at peace and with God."

So, the answer to the question is, clearly, Christianity. But precisely what kind of Christianity is a bit of a mystery. Though, that said, his background in first the Baptist church, then the Moravian church, then his observable faith practices in life at least give us a little bit of insight into what his Christianity was all about.

It is interesting, though, to note that nearly no news story about Griffith's passing made more than a passing mention of Griffith's faith, some of them mentioning the Baptist upbringing, and a few others adding the Moravian involvement -- and, of course, the gospel records -- but that was about it. No writer was willing to commit to exactly what denomination characterized Griffith's faith.

Answer 2

Andy Griffith, the American actor and comedian, was a Christian who grew up in the Baptist faith. He often incorporated Christian themes and values into his work, such as his iconic role as Sheriff Andy Taylor in "The Andy Griffith Show."

Answer 3

baptist