Church (Groups) and State

PRESIDENT Bush’s decision to create a new White House office of faith-based initiatives comes from the success of such initiatives in Texas. But it still requires quite a leap of faith on the part of conservatives: There is a legitimate concern that federal subsidies—with their strings attached—will actually have a harmful effect on religious groups.

In Texas, Bush’s efforts to increase the role of small faith-based groups in tackling big social problems sparked a great deal of contention. Liberals claimed to fear the establishment of a theocracy, as well as the dismantling of government programs; conservatives worried that public funds would place limits on the independence of the religious groups. Bush’s willingness to take his Texas fight to the national arena reflects his belief in the program’s success—and his faith in the ability of religious organizations to change the destructive behavior of needy individuals.

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Kate O'Beirne

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PRESIDENT Bush’s decision to create a new White House office of faith-based initiatives comes from the success of such initiatives in Texas. But it still requires quite a leap of faith on the part of conservatives: There is a legitimate concern that federal subsidies—with their strings attached—will actually have a harmful effect on religious groups.

In Texas, Bush’s efforts to increase the role of small faith-based groups in tackling big social problems sparked a great deal of contention. Liberals claimed to fear the establishment of a theocracy, as well as the dismantling of government programs; conservatives worried that public funds would place limits on the independence of the religious groups. Bush’s willingness to take his Texas fight to the national arena reflects his belief in the program’s success—and his faith in the ability of religious organizations to change the destructive behavior of needy individuals.