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FALSANI: What do you believe?

OBAMA: I am a Christian.

So, I have a deep faith. So I draw from the Christian faith.

On the other hand, I was born in Hawaii where obviously there are a lot of Eastern influences.

I lived in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, between the ages of six and 10.

My father was from Kenya, and although he was probably most accurately labeled an agnostic, his father was Muslim.

And I’d say, probably, intellectually I’ve drawn as much from Judaism as any other faith.

FALSANI: Have you always been a Christian?

OBAMA: I was raised more by my mother and my mother was Christian.

FALSANI: Do you pray often?

OBAMA: Uh, yeah, I guess I do.

Its’ not formal, me getting on my knees. I think I have an ongoing conversation with God. I think throughout the day, I’m constantly asking myself questions about what I’m doing, why am I doing it.

FALSANI: Who’s Jesus to you?

(He laughs nervously)

OBAMA: Right.

Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he’s also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher.

And he’s also a wonderful teacher. I think it’s important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history.

FALSANI: Do you have people in your life that you look to for guidance?

OBAMA: Well, my pastor [Jeremiah Wright] is certainly someone who I have an enormous amount of respect for.