George Washington was the first president to place his hand on a Christian Bible when taking the oath of office.

VOA: special.2009.01.19

President Obama took the oath of office in January on the Bible that Abraham Lincoln owned and used at his first inauguration.

VOA: special.2009.07.24

Some will argue that swearing on the Bible ensures the president adheres to his oath.

CNN: Presidents should not swear in on a Bible

Barack Obama has made a concerted attempt to present himself as a latter-day Lincoln, keeping a portrait of the martyred president on his desk and taking his oath of office on Lincoln's Bible.

ECONOMIST: Lexington

Barack Obama took the oath of office on the same King James Bible that had been used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861.

ECONOMIST: Prepare for a celebration of biblical proportions