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White House Faith Based Council Posts Votes On Two Controversial Church-State Issues

By Howard M. Friedman

Last Thursday, the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships posted the votes by its Advisory Council on two contentious issues. The first is whether faith-based social service providers should be allowed to provide services in rooms that contain religious symbols, artwork or messages. Two members voted to ban any religious symbols. Seven members voted to allow symbols when there is no space in the organization's offices without them and when removing or covering them would be infeasible, so long as objecting clients also have a choice of a different provider to which they do not object. Fourteen members voted not to require removal or covering of symbols, but to encourage providers to be sensitive and to attempt to accommodate those who object, and have alternative providers available if that is not sufficient. One member abstained.

The second issue is whether the government should require houses of worship to form separate corporations to receive direct federal social service funds. Eleven voted yes; 12 voted no; and one person abstained. One Council member was out of the country last week, and his vote on both issues will be added in this week when he returns. (See prior related posting.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on February 08, 2010 (boomark / email).