The state of South Carolina is set to begin churning out “I Believe” license plates, complete with a cross and stained-glass window, thanks to a unanimous vote by the state legislature and a swift signature from the governor.

It’s the first of its kind in the country, decidedly Christian, and sure seems to blur the line between church and state—not mention alienate those of other faiths.

Meanwhile, religion is heating up on the campaign trail, with both John McCain and Barack Obama courting religious voters. Because we try to keep these postings short, we’ll do a roundup of where the candidates are in terms of support from a variety of religious groups over the next few weeks and months. This week, we’ll use the “I Believe” news to look at their standing with some Christian groups.

McCain and the religious right
For years we’ve been hearing about the role of conservative Christians and evangelicals in political campaigns. These groups were key to the success of President Bush in 2000 and 2004.

However, many of these groups are on the fence about McCain. Some religious conservatives say they are considering not voting at all, or want a better understanding of where he falls on hot-button issues and whom he will pick as a running mate.

So McCain is strengthening his rhetoric, criticizing California ’s gay marriage ruling and touting his anti-abortion stance. However McCain, an Episcopalian turned Baptist, also knows he may need to temper his religious talk to attract moderate and independent voters.

Obama and religion
Obama, who has not been shy about talking about his faith, is doing his share of religious courting as well. He met on Tuesday with Christian leaders in Chicago, including some conservative religious leaders like Bishop T.D. Jakes, who heads up a huge church in Dallas. His campaign is expected to try to court evangelicals and Catholics too.

In this election, you may hear more about the “religious left”
If you have a few minutes, read this Q&A conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Some say liberal or progressive religious groups are a growing voice in U.S. politics. According to Pew research, the so-called “religious left” could account for as much as a quarter of the adult population.

The big picture
As Obama and McCain begin their dance to attract religious voters, both have already been tripped up by clergymen. McCain had to distance himself from Rev. John Hagee, who made statements that were perceived as anti-Catholic. Obama’s former pastor, the now notorious Jeremiah Wright, has become a cable news fixture for saying he thinks the U.S. government was responsible for spreading HIV, among other things. Obama recently resigned from the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago in the wake of Wright’s statements and after another minister there who mocked Hillary Clintonmocked Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, patently false but painfully persistent rumors continue to circulate on the Internet that Obama is a Muslim.