During the weekend, Rick Santorum spoke of President Obama's "phony theology," and on Monday, he talked about "a culture that has radically changed," saying we need to "rebuild the family and the church."
With the Michigan and Arizona primaries a week from Tuesday, Santorum -- whom polls show leading nationwide and in Michigan -- has turned increasingly to invoking faith and spirituality on the campaign trail, making comments that could alienate moderate conservatives less concerned about social policies but motivate more-passionate believers.
In Lowell, just east of Grand Rapids, 74-year-old Virginia Kimmer doesn't want a president forcing others to follow -- or violate -- religious beliefs, but she said she still wants "a man in the seat of power ... who would be a fundamentally religious person."
She's leaning toward Santorum.
A former Catholic and practicing Protestant, Frank Palermo, 75, who lives in Livingston County, is now an atheist who said he would happily vote for the right Republican if he could find one. He said Obama is too tight with unions.
"I don't know how strongly to say this, but I abhor people like Santorum who are so religiously oriented," he said. "There should absolutely be a separation between church and state, and the Republican religious right absolutely refuses to do that."
Santorum has long been considered a warrior for cultural conservatives, making his name, in part, with a fierce stance against abortion while representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate.
On Sunday, MSNBC's Chris Hayes dug up a 2008 speech Santorum gave at Ave Maria University, a Catholic school in Florida founded by Domino's Pizza owner (and former Detroit Tigers owner) Tom Monaghan. In the speech, Santorum -- a staunch Catholic -- railed against what he saw as "a spiritual war" waged against national institutions by "the father of lies, Satan." He went on to say that "mainline Protestantism" was in "a shambles. It is gone from the world of Christianity, as I see it."
He continued, saying he was once contacted by a Michigan State University student who told him that remarks he had made on the U.S. Senate floor convinced him and his girlfriend, who was pregnant, not to have an abortion.
When told of Santorum's 2008 remarks about mainline Protestants, the Rev. Allen Timm, head of the Presbyterian Church of Detroit, said: "He is not in touch with reality. Mainline Protestants are doing a tremendous amount of good. ... It's about showing faith, not just talking about faith."
Pastor Bob Cornwall, of the mainline Protestant Central Woodward Christian Church in Troy, said he has concerns about Santorum's "phony theology" comment about Obama.
Santorum "can disagree with the president's theology, but to call it 'phony' is to call into question Obama's integrity as a Christian," said Cornwall. That's not right, he said.
Cornwall said he has "serious problems with Santorum's own theology and his interpretation of the Bible, especially when it comes to matters of social justice, whether it relates to the poor, to war or the environment."
Despite those concerns, Cornwall said he "wouldn't call (Santorum's) theology phony."
Faith has continued to play a big role in politics in recent years. Four years ago, Obama spoke about his Christian faith; Michigan-born Mitt Romney, Santorum's chief rival in the Republican Michigan primary and nationwide, has spoken of his Mormonism. But Santorum is making faith and spirituality a central part of his campaign.
On Saturday, Santorum used the words "phony theology" in describing what he called environmental beliefs Obama and many Democrats hold.
Santorum said later that he didn't question that Obama is a Christian; he was only saying that strong environmentalists seem to reject the notion of man having dominion over the Earth.
Santorum also objected to insurers being required to provide prenatal testing to pregnant women, saying it leads to more abortions.
On Monday, in Steubenville, Ohio, Santorum -- after again discussing "the radical environmentalist policies of this president" -- launched into an attack on government, saying it has undermined organized religion and family.
"We not only have to revitalize the economy ... we have to revitalize the basic institutions of this country, the church and the family," he said.
Republican consultant John Truscott in Lansing said that kind of talk can energize a socially conservative base, but it can also make others wonder whether a candidate can win a general election. He said Santorum's language is the sort that "boomerangs" against a nominee, alienating the political center that tends to decide the outcome.
"The whole Republican base is fired up about beating the president," he said. "This language doesn't help to win. People who take a closer look at how to win elections know this is something that doesn't help."
Tammy Scott, 54, of Melvindale, agrees.
"They need to concentrate on what goes on in the world rather than what goes on in people's churches," she said of the Republican candidates.
