The US Republicans and faith

The Republican hopeful for the American presidency, Mitt Romney, has called on American voters not to reject him because of his faith.

Mr Romney, who is a member of the Mormon Church, is the only Republican candidate who has had to address the issue of his religion in such a way.

While he is seen as one of the leading Republican candidates for president, surveys have suggested that between a quarter and a third of voters have qualms about electing someone who is a member of the Mormon Church

Below is a look a where the other leading Republican candidates stand in terms of faith.

RUDY GIULIANI

Rudy Giuliani evokes his Catholic upbringing on the campaign trail

Rudy Giuliani was born and raised as a Roman Catholic. He went to Catholic schools and even considered joining the priesthood.

But his attitude towards one key issue - abortion - has upset Church leaders. They have expressed frustration with prominent Catholic politicians who argue that while they personally don't believe in abortion, they do not want to impose their beliefs on others.

Mr Giuliani believes that the choice about whether to have an abortion ultimately rests with the woman and not the state.

This stance, plus his support for gay rights and his three marriages, makes him an unpalatable option for many social conservatives who would usually vote Republican.

Mr Giuliani regularly evokes his Catholic upbringing while on the campaign trail.

Earlier this year, he told the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) that he prays to Jesus for guidance and help.

"I have very, very strong views on religion that come about from having wanted to be a priest when I was younger, having studied theology for four years in college,'" he said.

"So it's a very, very important part of my life. But I think in a democracy and in a government like ours, my religion is my way of looking at God, and other people have other ways of doing it, and some people don't believe in God. I think that's unfortunate. I think their life would be a lot fuller if they did, but they have that right."

More recently, the former mayor of New York has appeared reluctant to discuss his personal beliefs - or the question of how often he attends church - calling them private affairs.

JOHN McCAIN

John McCain has caused confusion over his faith

The 71-year-old senator from Arizona says he has a deep faith in God, and credits this with getting him through his most difficult moments - for example, when he was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam conflict.

For decades, he identified himself as an Episcopalian - having been brought up in the Episcopal Church. However, in September, Mr McCain raised eyebrows among South Carolina Republican voters, who are overwhelmingly religious conservatives, by telling them that he considers himself a Baptist and attends a Baptist church at home in Arizona.

The North Phoenix Baptist Church, which he was referring to, is a large evangelical church, which is part of the Southern Baptist Convention.

In a recent interview with Beliefnet.com, Mr McCain said he agreed with the view - held by a majority of Americans, according to one recent poll - that the constitution establishes the US as a Christian nation.

"But I say that in the broadest sense," he said. "The lady that holds her lamp beside the golden door doesn't say, 'I only welcome Christians.' We welcome the poor, the tired, the huddled masses. But when they come here they know that they are in a nation founded on Christian principles."

His campaign team later issued a clarification on what he meant by "Christian nation".

The statement said: "The senator did not intend to assert that members of one religious faith or another have a greater claim to American citizenship over another. Read in context, his interview with Beliefnet makes clear that people of all faiths are entitled to all the rights protected by the Constitution, including the right to practice their religion freely."

Mr McCain is an opponent of abortion rights, and supports research on human embryos left over from fertility treatments. This puts him at odds with the Christian right, which he took on during his 2000 campaign.

He sharply criticised figures like televangelists Jerry Falwell, who has since passed away, and Pat Robertson.

Ultimately, Mr McCain prefers to treat his faith as a personal matter.

MITT ROMNEY

Mitt Romney has pledged to serve the common cause of all US citizens

Governor Mitt Romney is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and questions about his faith have followed him throughout his campaign.

The religion is viewed with suspicion by most Christian conservatives. He says he hopes to convince voters that his faith is mainstream.

"I think as people come to know my faith they'll recognise that the values of my faith are - they very much flow from the Judeo-Christian tradition of this country. I believe in God, I believe in Jesus Christ, I believe in the equality of all humankind," Mr Romney said in a recent interview with The Washington Times.

According to experts, Mormons and evangelical Christians should share some common ground. Mormon culture centres on faith and family, with church activities - from teaching Sunday School to leading Boy Scouts - filling the calendar.

In a speech in Texas in early December, just a month before the first nomination primaries, Mr Romney said that as president, he would serve no single religious interest.

In 2002, when running successfully to become governor of Massachusetts, Mr Romney said he supported a woman's right to choose. He has now reinvented himself as a champion of the anti-abortion movement.

MIKE HUCKABEE

Mike Huckabee believes politicians should talk about their faith

Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, is a long-time Southern Baptist pastor.

He believes that prominent politicians should be scrutinised about their faith.

"One of the things that I've always said is that I think a big mistake people make is when they want to compartmentalise their faith," he said in a recent interview. "For example, I've had people say, and I've heard political figures say, 'My faith has nothing to do with my politics'."

He said that his religious values were "very much part of who he was" and that they would "inform [his] presidency."

He has also criticised evangelical church leaders, charging them with doing little to depict the faith in a positive light. He said the Church had too often focused on what it was "against" rather than what it was "for".

"I think we've done a lousy job of communicating warmth and heart," he told the Washington Post. "We've come across many times as being harsh and intolerant."

FRED THOMPSON

Fred Thompson has been criticised for not expressing his beliefs strongly

According to his campaign team, Fred Thompson was baptised into the Church of Christ.

But he has faced criticism for keeping his religion something of a mystery.

Some, including James Dobson, founder and chairman of the conservative Christian group Focus on Family, have accused Mr Thompson of not expressing his beliefs strongly enough.

Mr Dobson has said many evangelical Christians might find this a "barrier" to supporting him.

The former actor has also been criticised for his patchy church attendance.

Asked by reporters about how often he went, Mr Thompson said that it varied

He said he usually attended church when visiting his mother in Tennessee, even though he wasn't a member of any church in the Washington area, where he lives.

But, he said recently: "As far as [his] faith is concerned, I have not made any secret as to where I am. I am a Christian."

He added that he had no apologies to make about his religion or his relationship to Jesus Christ or God.