The answer is that Congress is doing it more, but the President isn't helping things along either.
Consider: during the John Roberts confirmation process, some liberal Senators openly attacked Roberts' Catholic faith, saying that his religion's views on abortion would not allow them to vote for him as a Justice in the Supreme Court.
President Bush and his advisors brought up religion on the Harriet Miers nomination last week, which again stirred the anti-religious in Congress, the media and in the general public.
This again galvanized the right, which does not like it when the left criticizes the religious beliefs of people. This may have been what President Bush intended all along, but still, he shouldn't be egging the other side on.
From Article VI of the Constitution: "...but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."
In addition to religion not being required for a federal office or job, this can also be meant to mean that religion cannot be used to stop a religious person from holding federal office.
Perhaps Congress should have Article VI read out to them before the confirmation process begins.
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