Religon takes centre stage in US election race

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain were preparing to reach out to conservative religious voters, a group that has largely supported the Republican Party but from whom Mr Obama hopes he can siphon some votes with firm talk of his Christian faith.

The appearance at a forum at the California church of influential pastor Rick Warren offers Mr Obama a chance to fight back against persistent rumours that he is a Muslim and to show his comfort talking about faith.

It also underscores the gulf between him and America's most conservative Christian voters on issues such as abortion and gay rights.

Many of Mr McCain's positions are more in line with the evangelical Christian worldview, but he is uncomfortable talking about his personal beliefs and has not created much excitement among the bloc that helped push President George Bush into office.

The Obama campaign has been diligently courting religious voters with a presence on Christian radio and blogs, and through American Values Forums and other events.

In June, Mr Obama held a private meeting with a large group of evangelical leaders, including the Reverend Franklin Graham, who challenged him on his beliefs in salvation, his support for abortion and other issues.

While many of the Republican's views, including opposition to abortion, match the outlook of conservative Christians, he is far less comfortable than Mr Obama talking about religion.

He did not participate in a spring forum at Messiah College near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where Mr Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton discussed religion and their personal lives.

Mr McCain supporters have taken to circulating excerpts from his memoir 'Faith of Our Fathers', that explain his beliefs.

He recently met privately with Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, one of the most vocal US bishops on the duty of Catholics to make the abortion issue a priority in choosing public leaders.