Milwaukee’s Faith Works Program Wins Round Two of Court Battle

Yes, Bush likes Hindus too, and other stories from online sources around the world

Christianity Today July 1, 2002

Thanks to Supreme Court’s voucher decision, Wisconsin’s faith-based program gets court approval In January, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the state of Wisconsin’s funding of a religious addiction-recovery program was unconstitutional because it “indoctrinates its participants in religion” (PDF). “Religion is so integral to the Faith Works program that it is not possible to isolate it from the program as a whole.” But that part of the case dealt with a state contract with the Department of Workforce Development. A second part focused on a contract with the Department of Corrections, and was decided Friday.

Between the two district court decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision on government-funded vouchers for religious schoolsโ€”and that apparently made all the difference. In Friday’s decision (PDF), Crabb ruled that it doesn’t matter how religious Faith Works is, so long as participants have the choice whether to participate in it.

“The problem with plaintiffs’ argument is that it overlooks recent establishment clause precedent,” Crabb wrote. “Although it is true that an over-arching goal of the establishment clause is to prevent the government from placing its imprimatur on religion, recent cases have held that private individuals can nullify any appearance of government endorsement through true private choice programs under which government aid reaches the religious program “only as a result of the genuine and independent choices of private individuals.”

Prisoners who go to the Faith Works prerelease halfway house do so, she said, “as a result of their genuinely independent, private choice. Thus, any appearance that the government is endorsing Faith Works is overcome by the fact that offenders must consent to the program’s religious content before participating in it. For these reasons, the Department of Corrections’ funding of Faith Works does not violate the establishment clause.”

While observers argued whether the January decision was a setback for Bush’s efforts to broaden government funding of religious social services, this decision seems to be a major victory. Contrast the Center for Public Justice‘s statements that the earlier decision ” by no means slams the door on the President’s faith-based and community initiatives” with those of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which says the new decision will open the door to more funding.

To sum up: The key is not whether faith-based organizations receive federal funds; it’s whether there are non-religious alternatives. Recipients of government-funded religious social services must freely choose these services.

You can’t win President Bush is under fire again for not being religiously tolerant enough. “He has mentioned almost all the faiths in his past talks on fighting terrorism and all that, never Hinduism,” a reporter complained at a recent press briefing.

“I’d have to check the records,” replied spokesman Ari Fleischer. He continued:

But if I recall, in several of the meetings that the President has had here, he has had representatives of the Hindu faith meet with him, along with other members in some of the faith-based meetings that the President has had. And the President, I think owing in great part to his own religious beliefs and to America’s tradition of being a welcoming, tolerant nation that brings all into our community of faith, that’s a message the President gives. When he talks about any one religion, that applies to all religion.

(One religion is all religion? Uh-oh. Is someone going to complain about syncretism now?) The remarks were carried by several Indian newspapers under headlines like “White House defends Bush’s omission of Hinduism.” And by the wayโ€”Bush has mentioned Hinduism in regards to the war on terrorism. Weblog found this out in about three seconds by searching the White House website.

More articles

Sex and marriage:

  • Reported number of teen virgins rises | According to new federal data, virginal teens outnumber the sexually active ones. (The Washington Times)
  • Syria holds mass wedding | The group wedding, for both Christian and Muslim couples, is part of a government drive to encourage young people to marry despite the high cost of living in the country. (BBC)

Church and state:

Other stories of interest:

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere

What is Weblog?

See our past Weblog updates:

July 30 | 29

July 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22

July 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15

July 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8

July 5 | 3 | 2 | 1

June 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24

Our Latest

News

Died: Jack Iker, Anglican Who Drew the Line at Womenโ€™s Ordination

The Texas bishop fought a bitter legal battle with the Episcopal Church and won.

Why Canโ€™t We Talk to Each Other Anymore?

Online interactions are draining us of energy to have hard conversations in person.

Church Disappointment Is Multilayered

Jude 3 Project founder Lisa Fields speaks about navigating frustrations with God and fellow believers.

The Robot Will Lie Down With the Gosling

In โ€œThe Wild Robot,โ€ hospitality reprograms relationships.

How Priscilla Shirer Surrenders All

The best-selling Bible teacher writes about putting God first in her life and how healthy Christian discipleship requires sacrifice

The Bulletin

Second Hand News

The Bulletin talks presidential podcasts, hurricane rumors, and the spiritual histories of Israel and Iran.

Which Church in Revelation Is Yours Like?

From the lukewarm Laodicea to the overachieving Ephesus, these seven ancient congregations struggled with relatable problems.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube