Obama Signals Higher Church-State Barrier for Faith-Based Office
The President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which will eventually comprise 25 faith and social service experts, also includes staunch supporters of government-backed faith-based hiring, including World Vision President Richard Stearns.
Eventually, legal experts say, the Obama administration will have to go with one camp or the other on the hiring question. "I just don't see a middle ground," says George Washington University's Lupu.
DuBois said the advisory council was a response to the Bush office of faith based initiatives lacking "a feedback mechanism for secular and religious leaders to provide guidance and advice."
While staying silent on the hiring issue, Obama's executive order did vow broad commitment to respecting church-state separation, which was absent in Bush's executive orders around faith-based initiatives. Obama's order articulated a goal of "preserving our fundamental constitutional commitments guaranteeing the equal protection of the laws and the free exercise of religion and forbidding the establishment of religion."
"A key part of my job is seeking advice from the White House counsel and the attorney general on legal matters to strengthen the constitutionality of the office," DuBois said. "The executive order created a review mechanism to do that that didn't exist before."
In rolling out the new faith-based office, Obama also vowed to broaden the scope of its work, which had traditionally been limited to helping providers of social services. The White House says the office will now also work to reduce abortion and to promote responsible fathering and will engage religious leaders from around the world in interfaith dialogue.
Reader Comments
Both sides
I'm a Christian and operated an after school program with a government grant. I am in favor of NEVER establishing a state religion-what a hideous beast that would be-neither serving the people nor serving God. History should show us that human beings are not to be trusted with that much power (imagine the pope of the USA!), because we are too inherently selfish to handle it.
On the other hand, to force a religious organization to hire someone who does not share their beliefs is to do harm to that organization. Respect people's beliefs-viva la difference!!! I respect atheists and Muslims and Hindus. They have the right to evangelize for their position. Christians should have that right as well. Let the believers speak and let the people choose. The fact is, no one can be forced to believe or not believe anything.
It would be wrong to force an Islamic group to hire a pig farmer. That would be repugnant to them. It would be wrong to force Catholics to hire a Satan worshipper. Yet faith-based groups do much good in the community and with far less money than government programs do. To help them deliver services in the community without forcing them to abandon their beliefs just makes sense.
Obama's policies
I have repeatedly stated and will continue to state until someone answers my question "What did Barak Obama and Oprah Winfrey know about the forklift that was dropped on cousin Mark Selden's head, and almost killed him, at work in Chicago, IL, on March 4, 2007 (Coincidentally the very same morning that many of the Solomon family left the Chicago area to travel to Kansas City, MO area). He was then sent to 70 Witchwood Lane Lindenhirst, IL (Coincidentally of course)! What did they also know about Aunt Bertha Selden's sudden and unexpected death on TUESDAY, March 4, 2008, when she was nowhere near death and the Chicago hospital called the family and asked what they should do with her body? I can assure you I WILL NOT STOP ASKING THESE QUESTIONS UNTIL I GET ANSWERS! If I or any of my family members had ever been a part of such absolute inexcusable murderous corruption I would expect that I would be looked upon as shameful beyond words. Those people that do not play the game by the rules are disqualified! What are the answers to these questions? I would like to have immediate answers!
Deborah Solomon
Independence,MO
tax breaks
what about those tax deductable donations to churches? should that be ended? and what about tax exemption for churches? that too should go.
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