Groups List Faith-Based Points of Contention, Agreement

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Longtime foes over the proper relationship between church and state have issued a joint statement detailing their agreements and disagreements about government funding of religious groups engaged in providing social services.

"While we continue to differ about what is constitutional and advisable on some points, all of us believe that religious organizations and the government can work together in productive ways to bring about the greater good of society," says the joint statement, "In Good Faith: A Dialogue on Government Funding of Faith-Based Social Services."

The document, the result of three years of private meetings and the support of The Pew Charitable Trusts, was praised by John DiIulio, director of the new White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives.

DiIulio sat in the audience during the presentation of the statement during a news conference at the National Press Club but spoke only briefly, calling the statement the "single most significant thing" that has happened in relation to the office since President Bush signed the executive order creating it on Jan. 29.

The White House hopes to broaden "charitable choice," a provision of 1996 welfare reform legislation permitting government funding of religious organizations that provide social services.

The 16-page document cites a dozen areas of agreement, ranging from the need for secular alternatives for those who don't want faith-based services to the requirement that service recipients are not discriminated against on the basis of their religion. The parties also agreed that separate organizations that are affiliated with a house of worship but provide secular functions should continue to be qualified to receive government aid.

The statement affirms that organizations should not receive government money for religious activities but notes how difficult it is to define such activities. For example, a service recipient should not be urged to accept Jesus but could be advised to be honest, even though that is often considered a religious value. It also says worship, prayers and Scripture would be inappropriate in a government-funded program but a "neutral moment of silence" would not be considered worship.

The drafters also recommend that religious organizations use religious criteria to hire people for privately funded programs regardless of whether they receive government funds for other programs. They agree that religious providers receiving federal money should be allowed to display some religious art and should be able to retain religious references in their names.

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