10 Most Important Obama Faith Moments
6. Convening a Faith Advisory Council
(Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, was offered a spot on Obama's faith advisory council.
On the same day that he rolled out his Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, President Obama announced the formation of an outside advisory council for the office. The council will also advise Obama on other matters, from healthcare to foreign policy, giving religion "an institutionally higher profile than under President Bush," says Richard Land, the public policy chief of the Southern Baptist Convention. "No president that I've dealt with," says Land, who has worked with administrations going back to Reagan, "has had anything like it." The 25-person council includes religious leaders from a variety of faith traditions, as well as chiefs of secular nonprofits, and counts both conservatives and liberals as members. It provoked controversy in April, when word leaked that the White House had invited former NFL Coach Tony Dungy to join. Liberals blasted Dungy's support for a gay marriage ban in Indiana, and he ultimately turned down the invitation, citing scheduling conflicts with council meetings.
What do you think are the most important "faith moments" in the first 100 days of Obama's presidency?