Is Ben Affleck Mormon?

Ben Affleck’s Spiritual Journey: Is He Mormon? What Christian Readers Want to Know

Today, we’re going to shine a light on a question that many are asking: “Is Ben Affleck Mormon?” Our purpose here is to discover why this question is out there and then, more importantly, to share what Ben Affleck himself has opened up about concerning his own walk with faith. We want to bring clarity and peace of mind to all our Christian friends looking for these answers. Wanting to know if Ben Affleck is Mormon, or about any celebrity’s faith, isn’t just idle curiosity for many of us. It often comes from a deeper desire to understand how faith fits into the world of popular culture. We might be looking for positive examples, trying to find the truth amidst all the noise, or simply wanting to see how faith shines through people who have a big platform.³ Faith has always been a big part of our world’s conversations, and the beliefs of public figures are part of that story.³ We know that being a celebrity means having a powerful voice, and how that voice connects with faith is something that truly matters to people, sometimes even causing a little concern.² It’s so important to recognize this heartfelt desire to see faith’s place in our big, wide world as we explore these questions.

Is Ben Affleck Mormon? Here’s the clear and simple truth:

Based on everything we know publicly and from what Ben himself has shared about his faith, he is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day which many know as the Mormon Church. This question does come up quite a bit, and when we understand the ‘why’ behind it, all that confusion just melts away!

Where Did This Idea Come From?

You might be wondering, ‘Well, how did this idea about Ben Affleck being Mormon even start?’ It seems it mostly came from a link to that reality TV show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. It all centered around one of the stars, Jen Affleck, and her husband, Zac Affleck.⁵ You see, Jen mentioned on the show, and even in a TikTok video back in September 2022, that her husband, Zac, was related to our Ben Affleck, the actor.⁵ She said Zac’s father, David Affleck, was Ben Affleck’s cousin.⁵ Jen even made a little joke on TikTok when Ben Affleck married Jennifer Lopez, saying she thought she might be ‘the next JLO’!5 Naturally, when folks heard that, they started to wonder if there was a connection between Ben Affleck and a family on a show all about Mormon life.

Digging for Truth: What the Family Trees Show

But the truth always comes to light! After these claims were made, good folks in journalism, including PEOPLE magazine, did some digging into the family trees, and guess what? They found out that supposed family connection just wasn’t there.⁵ When they looked at Zac Affleck’s family tree and Ben Affleck’s family tree, they saw two very different paths:

• Zac Affleck, his dad is David Affleck, his grandpa Gordon Affleck, and his great-grandpa Alan Burt Affleck.⁵
• Ben Affleck, his dad is Tim Affleck, his grandpa Myron Junior, and his great-grandpa Myron Senior.⁵

Someone who knew all about these family details even said, “No, Alan Burt Zac’s great-grandfather and Myron Senior aren’t brothers or anything”.⁵ And here’s another interesting thing: Ben and his brother Casey Affleck’s family came from Scotland, while Zac Affleck’s family roots are in England.⁵ All these facts pointed clearly to one thing: there wasn’t a close family tie like people thought.

Hearing it Straight from Zac Affleck

Then, wouldn’t you know it, in the second season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (that was in May 2025), Zac Affleck himself spoke up about this rumor. He shared right on the show that he really has “no idea” if he’s related to Ben Affleck!6 He said it all started as “a running joke” in his family. Zac even mentioned that when his wife, Jen, began telling folks about this supposed link, he told her, “I don’t think you should say that anymore. I think that’s probably gonna backfire”.⁶

This whole story about Ben Affleck and a Mormon connection just shows how quickly a little bit of wrong information can spread, especially when it’s about famous people and gets shared on TV and social media. What began as a simple family joke turned into something everyone was talking about once it got out there.⁶ It’s amazing how something small can grow when the media gets ahold of it, even if it wasn’t quite right to begin with. This reminds us all to be wise and thoughtful, especially with stories about public figures, and to always look for those good, reliable sources when we have questions. And isn’t it interesting that looking into family history—something very important to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 5—is what helped bring the truth to light about this rumor concerning Ben Affleck? It just goes to show that when you seek out the facts, you find clarity and can tell the difference between just talk and what’s really true.

So, What is Ben Affleck’s Faith Path?

Ben Affleck calls himself a Christian, friends.⁸ He’s even shared in interviews that he goes to a Methodist church.⁸ This is the very same church he began attending with his then-wife, Jennifer Garner, and their precious children. Word back in 2020 was that they’d been part of that church family for about four years, which means they started around 2015 or 2016.⁸ Ben has also said that he “got introduced to Christianity a little bit later in life,” which is a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to find faith.¹⁰ And more recently, he’s moved away from calling himself an agnostic, showing a real positive shift in his heart and spirit.⁹

Ben Affleck’s recent connection with Christianity and going to church was really encouraged by his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.⁸ Reports tell us that after Jennifer worked on that inspiring movie “Miracles from Heaven,” she felt her heart stirred to return to something she grew up with. She also wanted that wonderful spiritual grounding for their children.⁹ And because of that, Ben started going to the Methodist church with Jennifer and the kids.⁸ One story from February 2023 even shared that “he became a Christian after his ex-wife Jennifer Garner invited him to church when her own faith was reinvigorated”.⁹ Isn’t that wonderful how God uses our relationships and big life moments to draw us closer to Him? Jennifer’s experience with that faith-filled movie and her heart as a mom wanting to share her faith with her children were like open doors for Ben to connect with a Christian church family.⁸ We see this happen all the time, where family and life’s happenings create new paths for us to explore our faith or come back to it.

What Has Ben Affleck Said About His Christian Beliefs?

Ben Affleck has opened up about finding such deep meaning and true beauty in some of the core truths of Christianity. He’s called ideas like grace and redemption “enormously beautiful and elegant” – and they are!10 He connects with the understanding that “we are all sinners, and that it’s our job to find our redemption, to find God’s love, to redeem ourselves, to live the best life that we can, to love one another, to not judge one another, and to forgive one another”.⁸ What powerful words! Ben also believes our world would be so much better if more of us followed Jesus’ teachings about forgiving others and showing grace. He calls these “extremely powerful ideas” and says they are “very, very relevant, probably more relevant today than ever”.⁹ And he’s absolutely right!

Is Ben Affleck Open About Faith Struggles?

Yes, Ben Affleck has been very honest that his faith journey has its ups and downs. He’s said quite openly in interviews, “I struggle with my faith, I struggle with belief”.⁸ That kind of honesty shows us that for Ben, faith is a journey of seeking and asking questions, not just having it all figured out. This theme of being real about his struggles while also seeing the beauty in Christian values is a big part of what he shares. And for so many of us, hearing someone famous admit they find faith beautiful but also find it hard sometimes, that’s something we can connect with. It shows that faith is often about growing, wrestling with our questions, and seeking God, not always about having perfect, unshakable certainty. When someone is that real, it makes their faith journey feel closer and more understandable.

That wonderful theme of redemption shines brightly both when Ben Affleck talks about his faith and when he discusses his journey of recovery from alcoholism. He may not always spell out the connection in every word his strong belief in our human need for redemption and the beauty he sees in this Christian idea 8 fits so perfectly with the path of overcoming addiction. You might remember his movie “The Way Back,” where he played a man battling addiction and loss who finds his way to redemption – Ben said that role was very personal for him.⁸ He’s also shared how working on his sobriety and going to church are so important for his children. He wants them to be free from any worry about his past struggles, not to “pay for my sins,” as he put it.⁹ This shows a beautiful link between his efforts to change and the spiritual path he’s on. The idea of redemption, which is at the very heart of our Christian faith, is such a powerful picture of what recovery is all about: admitting mistakes, asking for forgiveness, and reaching for a new, healthier, blessed life. His draw to Christian redemption is likely very connected to his own experiences of seeking healing and making big, positive changes in his life.

When Ben Affleck shares about his faith journey, there are some wonderful things we can all take to heart:

• Faith Can Blossom Anytime: His story reminds us that our connection with faith can grow stronger or even begin “later in life,” just like he experienced.⁸ It’s truly never too late to seek God!
• It’s Okay to Be Honest: Ben’s openness about his struggles with faith and belief shows us it’s alright to have questions and not have everything figured out.⁸ Faith is a journey of growth, and sometimes that includes moments of uncertainty.
• The Strength of Christian Values: His words shine a light on how powerful and appealing those core Christian ideas of love, forgiveness, grace, and redemption truly are.⁹ These are truths that touch every human heart.
• The Blessing of Relationships: The way Jennifer Garner encouraged his church attendance shows how our family and friends can be such a positive influence on our spiritual walk.⁸

One Christian writer, thinking about Ben’s journey, offered something for us to ponder.⁹ They mentioned that “People often discover that they connect with many of the sayings and teachings of Jesus that doesn’t make them Christians… Jesus came to earth to be the only Saviour for sinners – to open up the one and only way to God”.⁹ This isn’t about judging Ben Affleck’s heart, not at all! It’s an invitation for us, as Christians, to think deeply about what biblical faith means for us personally. It helps us see the difference between admiring good principles and having that personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s a precious thought for our own hearts, not a reason to criticize someone else’s path. From a Christian viewpoint, Ben Affleck’s journey can be a real encouragement – seeing someone in the public eye exploring Christian faith with such openness, especially embracing ideas like redemption. It also gives us a chance to be wise, to think about the fullness of God’s truth in our own lives, while always, always extending grace and not judging anyone who is finding their way spiritually, just as God’s Word teaches us.¹

Bringing It All Together: The Truth We’ve Found

Ben Affleck’s story, the parts he’s chosen to share, can be a beautiful reminder for all of us that every human heart is looking for meaning, for redemption, for connection. His honesty about the challenges he faces while exploring his faith can be a real encouragement, letting us know it’s okay if we don’t have all the answers on our own spiritual path. Looking at any public figure’s faith journey can be a wonderful invitation to look at our own. For us as Christians, Ben Affleck’s experiences – how he’s drawn to grace and redemption, his honesty about doubt, his path of seeking – can inspire us to think about our own faith, about the amazing grace of God, the importance of truth, and how we respond to the faith stories we see around us. His journey of seeking and the hope of transformation can reflect parts of our own spiritual walk, and hopefully, it leads us all to a deeper thankfulness for God’s incredible love and grace – that same love and grace Ben Affleck has found so powerful, and that, is available to every single one of us, today and always!

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