Our resident religion & politics guru Mark Silk assesses the religious layout of 12 battleground states - and explains why religion will matter on Election Day.

(RNS) As he competes against a Mormon in the presidential election, President Obama has appointed the first Mormon member of his White House faith-based council. By Daniel Burke 

SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) As Americans celebrate the nation's founding, some Mormons may outdo their neighbors this week in fireworks, fanfare and frenzy to express their outsized patriotism. Other Mormons caution against linking political perspectives on American exceptionalism to specific theology or teachings. Peggy Fletcher Stack.

(RNS) Three out of four Mormons said Mitt Romney's rise to become the presumptive GOP presidential nominee is a good thing for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But less than a quarter expect the media to cover the church fairly, according to a new poll. By Daniel Burke.

(RNS) Nearly one in five Americans would not vote for a Mormon president, a percentage that has barely budged since 1967, according to Gallup pollsters. By Daniel Burke.

(RNS) Mitt Romney was a lukewarm Mormon before leaving for a 30-month missionary stint in France at age 19. He came back on fire for his faith and a budding leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Romney's experience is common among Mormons, where the most ardent converts are often the missionaries themselves. By Daniel Burke.

(RNS) One study says that Mormonism will hurt Mitt Romney's quest for the White House. Another says such fears are "exaggerated." How do we make sense of such contradictory claims? By Daniel Burke.

(RNS) Mitt Romney, who struggled to gain the support of evangelicals during the primaries, will deliver a commencement address Saturday at Liberty University, one of the largest Christian universities in the country. By Jackie Kucinich.