Santorum discusses faith with public life

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is not ashamed to take on controversial social issues and claim that it's God's will. God, he said Sunday, is his role model and his teacher.

"That relationship with him and the mission...that  I ask him to help guide me on is why I am on the journey I am on," he said.

Rick Santorum and the Rev. Troy Dobbs discuss faith in public life.
Photo by Jeff Cagle

During an appearance at Grace Church in Eden Prairie Sunday, Santorum participated in a 15-minute question and answer session about his faith in public life with the Rev. Troy Dobbs leading the discussion. His appearance comes on the heels of the Minnesota caucuses scheduled Tuesday.

According to the latest poll data from Public Policy Polling, Minnesota is up for grabs with no clear cut leader. The poll showed Santorum with 29 percent, current Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney with 27 percent, New Gingrich with 22 percent, and Ron Paul with 19 percent. The margin of error is 4.8 percent, and 37 percent said they could change their minds before Tuesday.

Santorum didn't criticize President Barack Obama or any of his Republican rivals. Instead, he focused on his faith in public life and said it was his faith that has guided him through his years serving in the U.S. Senate and overcoming personal hardships like the death of an infant son in 1996 and his youngest daughter's recent illness.

"I don't know how people survive what life deals with you without and understanding of grace, an understanding that the suffering and hardship has meaning beyond the suffering and hardship," Santorum said. "The longer you embrace that cross, the easier it is."

Santorum said that the United States was founded "under God" and called the country "a moral enterprise." He also proclaimed he's a [Pittsburgh] Steelers fan and didn't care who won the Super Bowl between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

"I do find it hard to root for [New England Patriots quarterback] Tom Brady, and that's all I have to say," he quipped.

After a prayer, Santorum left Grace Church and was scheduled to make campaign appearances in Bemidji and Lake Waconia. As of this writing, Romney and Gingrich had not scheduled any more campaign appearances in Minnesota. But Paul will make a swing through the state again Monday with campaign stops in St. Cloud and Minneapolis.