Understandably there have been a ton of posts in recent days on President Abraham Lincoln. Today however, I would like to highlight his adversary President Jefferson Davis, who was sworn in on this day in 1861 on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol.

Jefferson Davis was a protestant, a man of humble origins, who began his formal education at a small, one-room, log cabin school in the back woods of Mississippi. Two years later, his family moved and he entered the Catholic school of Saint Thomas at St. Rose Priory, which was operated by the Dominican Order of Kentucky.

At the time, Davis was the only Protestant student in the entire institution, but his own acceptance, as well as an introduction to a different denomination, made a lasting impression on the Episcopalian.

Later, as a West Point graduate, Davis prided himself on the military skills he had gained in the Mexican-American War as a colonel and as U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. After rising to the highest chair in the newly established Confederate government, Davis made a concerted effort to bridge the spiritual and social gaps between citizens of different faiths.

During the 19th Century, Catholics and Jews were often held in contempt and discriminated against by the country's Protestant majority. President Davis did not share this sentiment and following his appointment to power, he set a precedent when he assembled the first administration in American history that integrated Protestants, Catholics and Jews. This included his Secretary of State/Secretary of War/Attorney General: Judah P. Benjamin (Jewish) and Secretary of the Navy: Stephen R. Mallory (Catholic).

Davis' unorthodox and courageous decision went against all previous political practices and ultimately sent shockwaves through all of the county's governing bodies, as not even his contemporary, Abraham Lincoln, had appointed anyone other than Protestants to a high office.

In his article ‘Jefferson Davis, Religion and the Politics of Recognition,' D. Jason Berggren stated that, "Davis practiced the politics of recognition by appointing individuals identified with persecuted religious minorities. In this regard, contrary to conventional wisdom, Jefferson Davis was a remarkable president, a president ahead of his time."

In the end, Davis was simply a disciple who respected other Christian-Judea faiths and gave them legitimacy in the community that he governed. He once said, "Never be haughty to the humble; never be humble to the haughty." Haughty of course meaning arrogant.

This kind of humbleness and acceptance of fellow Christians of different theologies bred a fellowship that later spread among the southern states. It took guts for Davis to do that and our politicians today seem more bent on dividing the country's believers instead of bringing them all to the table. His choice was very risky and very unpopular, but it was the right thing to do. So although he ‘lost' the war and the country, Davis did have a positive impact on the citizens around him.

Now I will caveat that statement by adding that there was an undeniable hypocrisy that still existed within the Confederacy by rallying in the pursuit of freedom and independence for the white population, while simultaneously supporting the institution of slavery over blacks. That said, when examining the role that faith played in both free and enslaved societies, it is reaffirming to know that there were still positive changes from the Confederate Government that later benefited citizens of all creeds and colors.