Contact: Craig Cable, 970-292-4697

LOVELAND, Colo., March 1, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- As the 2012 presidential campaign heats up, so does the discourse on the role of religion in politics and government. This will be the topic of community forums from coast to coast next week.

Former Senator Rick Santorum said recently that John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech on the separation of church and state made him want to "throw up." Mitt Romney's Mormon faith continues to be a factor according to exit polls in primary voting. And President Obama's positions on access to contraceptives in health plans have caused a flurry of comments from those inside and outside religious communities.

Religion's role in the public square will be the topic of discussion at Lifetree Café locations around the country next week (week of March 4). The events will provide a public forum to discuss whether America is a Christian nation, and if religion really matters in the governance of the country.

The program features an exclusive filmed interview with Christian author and White House advisor Jim Wallis. He said America "is not a Christian nation. It's never been a Christian nation. We set this up so it would not be a Christian nation, or any religious framework. Where in the Bible is there a special place for America?"

Wallis is the author of "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It."

Participants will also hear from long-shot presidential hopeful Joe Schriner, in a filmed interview, about his inclusion of traditional Christian values as planks in his campaign.

Lifetree Café is a national network of venues where people gather for conversation about life and faith in a casual coffeehouse-type setting.

Lifetree Café locations and show times can be found at www.lifetreecafe.com.