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Early
in his administration, President Bush issued an executive
order that gave life to the Office of Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives, an agency that delivers government funding
to religious organizations for community projects. Bush
sought to end the "discrimination" against religious
organizations, of which that prevented them from receiving
government funding. Also on the heels of the upcoming election,
President Bush has reinstated his faith in this initiative.
However, the initiative is being widely contested by people
who say it might violate the separation of church and state.
Some critics like Reverend William Sloane Coffin, a religious
activist and founder of the Clergy Leadership Network, believe
that the faith-based Initiative has permitted the government
to bypass necessary spending on social responsibilities.
"Is the government getting off the hook with their
responsibilities?” says Reveverend Coffin. “If
you look at the amount of money that the government gives
to churches it will be different in comparison to what is
really needed. It’s charity where wholesale justice
is called for. The state and federal budget for terms of
services for education and healthcare is getting worse and
worse. It is time to give a good conscious by giving far
less money."
More black churches have been inclined to take advantage
of government funding to improve their communities. But
critics say the relationship between religious organizations
and the government is subject to abuse when these organizations
endorse candidates or distribute political statements. Black
ministers are faced with the decision to accept grants,
and possibly comprise their integrity, or to shun money
that could help the community.
For example, clergy members in Pennsylvania have been recruited
to distribute campaign information for President Bush. These
Pennsylvania churches are involved in a nationwide effort
to get the religious vote for President Bush in the 2004
election.
"I have many black friends who are ministers. They
have been through meetings in Washington and they will hear
fellow ministers say we’ll give you the vote, give
us the money. And that is really crossing the line between
church and state” says Reverend Coffin.
Opponents of the faith-based initiative argue that it is
not only prone to corruption, but also very inefficient.
They firmly hold that it is the government’s responsibility
to provide social services directly and that this initiative
simply shifts this responsibility to religious organizations.
According to Rev. Coffin "churches simply can’t
provide a sufficient quantity of what’s needed. The
churches can sponsor Habitat for Humanity, but they can’t
build much low-income housing. The government has a responsibility
to provide for the general welfare. And that means much
more for schools, much more doctors, much more for health
insurance, much more for low-income housing. Churches can’t
possibly provide the amount necessary."
But President Bush, seeking to promote religious involvement
and smaller government, is pushing the idea as a better
way to provide social services. It is his belief that churches
can more efficiently provide what is needed to help the
poor. What Rev. Coffin calls “government getting off
the hook,” President Bush calls “the armies
of compassion.”
During his speech about the initiative in Tennessee, Bush
said, "government can and should support effective
social services provided by religious people, so long as
they work and as long as those services go to anyone in
need, regardless of their faith.
And when government gives that support, it is equally important
that faith-based institutions should not be forced to change
the character or compromise their prophetic role."
President Bush, a Methodist, has held this initiative as
a mark of his "compassionate conservatism." He
sought to put a stop to big government
by promoting corporate philanthropy and religious involvement
in handling social problems. While being a man of religion,
admitting its influence in his policies, he also stands
to satisfy a large religious constituency when he legislates
religious agendas. Inner city Blacks are also a large, untapped
voting base for President Bush, who through recent action
has sought to attract them through the promotion of his
faith-based initiative.
"People of faith led the struggle against slavery.”
People of faith fought against child labor. People of faith
worked for women’s equality. And people of faith worked
for civil rights” says Bush. “And in America
today, people of faith are doing the work of compassion.
So many good people are serving their neighbors because
they love their God."
Critics say that they recognize the church has access to
the more neglected communities, but it is the government’s
duty to rightly and efficiently ensure that domestic needs
are being met. Some have offered that one solution may be
to change tax legislation that hurts low-income families.
They say a better answer to helping the poor can be found
by improving economic policy, rather than entangling religion
in government responsibilities.
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