GOP debate: Candidates get the 'God question' and talk about faith

Thursdsay's event was the first official debate

Ben Carson will go head to head with his rival candidates in the Republican debate (Getty Images)

America may be a nation that technically clings to the notion of the separation of church and state.

But the issue of faith dominated the final stages of the Republican debate on Thursday evening with the Fox News questioners quizzing the candidates about their relationship with God and the messages they received.

The question had apparently been suggested by Chase Norton, a Fox News viewer whose Facebook page contains a number of images containing themes about the plight of Christians and Jews.

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks with the media at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, before the first Republican presidential debate (AP)

“I am blessed to receive the word of God every day,” responded Senator Ted Cruz, who cited his father’s recovery from alcoholism through the help of Jesus. “We see lots of campaign conservatives but if we are going to win in 2016 we need a consistent conservative.”

Ohio Governor John Kasich said his faith and family were most important to him. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, meanwhile, said his Christian faith helped him “be decent going forward” when protesters were trying to boot him out of office.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio said God had blessed the United States. “He has blessed us with young men and women willing to die in uniform,” he said.

Dr Ben Carson, the only black candidate, said the bully pulpit was a wonderful place to start healing the nation and incidents “between people of two races”.

Donald Trump was not asked about what God said to him. People joked on social media that the confident tycoon was more likely to reveal what he said to God.