Vice President JD Vance is set to release a new book titled “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith” on June 16. This book will delve into his personal journey of rediscovering his religious faith and his conversion to Catholicism as an adult.
Published by HarperCollins, the same company behind his bestselling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” Vance’s latest work is expected to engage readers with a narrative about faith, personal loss, and redemption. In his own words, Vance reflected, “The story of how I regained my faith, of course, only happened because I had lost it to begin with.”
Vance’s exploration of his faith raises poignant questions about why he strayed from his Christian upbringing and what led him back to Catholicism. He mentioned, “The interesting question that hangs over this book, and over my mind, is why I ever strayed from the path.”
This announcement has sparked speculation regarding Vance’s potential run for the presidency in 2028, a topic he has indicated he is not currently focused on. Traditionally, many political figures publish books before launching campaigns to connect with new audiences and clarify their messages.
Vance, who has been working on “Communion” since 2019, wrote the entire 304-page book himself. This positions him uniquely among recent vice presidents, as he is the first to publish a book while in office. His journey from Christianity to atheism and then to Catholicism has profoundly impacted his life, providing him with a sense of purpose he felt was absent during his time at Yale University and in the financial sector.
His first book, “Hillbilly Elegy,” details his upbringing in rural America and gained significant attention after Donald Trump’s election in 2016. The memoir was adapted into a film by Ron Howard in 2020, further cementing Vance’s public profile.
Initially critical of Trump, Vance has since become one of his close allies, leading to his election as a Republican senator from Ohio in 2022 and subsequently being chosen as Trump’s running mate in 2024. At just 41 years old, he is the youngest vice president since Richard Nixon.
In addition to Vance’s literary endeavors, his wife, Usha Vance, recently announced her new podcast “Storytime with the Second Lady,” aimed at promoting reading among children. The couple has three young children and is expecting a fourth.
As Vance prepares to share his journey of faith in “Communion,” it promises to be a significant reflection for both his supporters and the wider public, especially as it intersects with his political aspirations.
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Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
