Church and state are two separate entities in American government, but for some students and spiritual leaders, religious beliefs influence political views.

On Nov. 14, a group of Roman Catholic Bishops released its political advice in a report called “Faithful Citizenship.”

“The bishops are saying that for Catholics, in all areas of their lives, they should be able to bring their faith in and it shouldn’t be a problem,” said the Rev. Gregory Ketcham, chaplain and director of St. John’s Catholic Newman Center.

The report, which is released every four years, also said political participation is a moral obligation.

“I wouldn’t call myself a one-issue voter, but the beginning of life and end of life issues are fundamental,” said Katie Crane, a missionary for the Newman Center’s Fellowship of Catholic University Students.

“The rights to life, liberty and happiness are listed in that order for a reason, because if you don’t exist, everything else doesn’t matter.”

The bishops’ report also instructed Catholic voters not to support candidates in favor of abortion rights and to consider other issues as well.

It did not, however, specify which political party or candidate to support in the 2008 presidential election.

“(People should) consider exact issues and bring their morality into the decision,” Ketcham said.

“People need to have the courage to vote their faith.”

While some voters display their religious convictions at the polls, others are guided by different motives.

“I think a lack of religion plays into how I feel about politics,” said Justin Shlensky, sophomore in LAS and outreach coordinator for College Democrats.

Factors such as a person’s family environment, geographical location, education level and peer group, as well as the influence of the media, can shape views on political issues, Shlensky said.

Shlensky and Crane both believe college students face a variety of influences as they work to define themselves and how they see the world.

“In college, you can take a class in religion and a class in politics and see how they intertwine,” Shlensky said.

The bishops’ voting advice document reminds Catholics to make sure God’s teachings fit into their thoughts as well when they form political opinions.

“Ideally, people have an entire view of the world constructed, and their whole life is ordered toward that goal,” Crane said. “Rather than seeing religion as one entity, separate from public life, it should be seen as one seamless reality.”