Religious speakers oppose charitable-choice legislation
6/29/2001 By Joretta Purdue* WASHINGTON (UMNS) - As the debate on charitable-choice legislation heated up in the House of Representatives, leaders of several public policy advocacy groups related to Protestant denominations voiced skepticism about the proposed law.
The United Methodist Church is clear on what it considers appropriate for a partnership with the state for the purpose of providing social service, said Jim Winkler, top staff executive of the denomination's Board of Church and Society.
One of several speakers at a June 28 press conference on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Winkler said he hoped the Bush administration would hear their concerns and change the legislation. Agreements made earlier in the week between President Bush and congressional Republicans were being discussed in committee, which hoped to finish its work before Congress adjourned for the Fourth of July recess.
"We believe that no private agency, because of its religious affiliations, ought to be exempted from any of the requirements and standards applied to programs seeking financial support," Winkler said.
The denomination supports partnerships between church and state, he affirmed. "As a matter of fact, our church has been in partnership with the state in many different ventures, providing non-sectarian and non-proselytizing social and educational services in our communities, never losing sight of our faith or our commitment to serve Christ.
"Charitable choice as set forth in existing law and as proposed in H.R. 7 clearly contradicts the minimum requirements set forth by our church as to what must be in place before a religious group accepts tax dollars in order to provide social services," he declared.
He listed as problems the exemption of religious groups from civil rights laws barring hiring discrimination, the potential weakening of the prophetic voice of religious groups by excessive reliance on public money, risk of government interference in the internal affairs of religious groups, elected officials' temptation to play politics with religious groups and crossing over the lines of separation when drug rehabilitation programs require acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal savior.
"The United Methodist Church has no difficulty in partnering with government to do what is right for people in need," he said. "We do not have any difficulty with the government providing access to religiously motivated organizations to compete for federal dollars. We cannot agree, however, in the establishment of 'faith' as a separate category which sets religious groups apart from the requirements that others are obligated to meet in order to provide social services."
K. Hollyn Hollman, general counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee, noted that this press conference was not the first time people of faith had opposed charitable choice.
"More than 1,000 clergy persons from across the theological spectrum and geographical map have signed their names to a petition urging President Bush and members of Congress to reject any 'faith-based' funding plans that do not protect Americans against religious discrimination or that jeopardize the independence of houses of worship," she said. "Of course, there is room for cooperation between religion and government that may be beneficial to both."
The Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory, director of the Washington Office of the Presbyterian Church USA, said that religious groups want to follow the biblical mandate to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. "We support a partnership between government and a religious community that would help us expand our programs."
At the same time, she warned that her denomination feels a need to protect the religious freedom of those eligible to receive human services.
"We believe," said Marvin M. Silver, representing the United Church of Christ, "that H.R. 7 in its current form does not adequately protect the religious autonomy of religious organizations in their collaborative efforts with state and local governments, does not protect the rights of beneficiaries ... and does not protect those seeking employment in this area of human services delivery."
Tom Hart of the Episcopal Office of Government Relations cited a resolution passed by the church's executive council earlier this month. Its four conditions included not requiring recipients of services to take religious instruction, not discriminating among the recipients, using professional accounting standards in handling funds and not discriminating or giving preference to anyone in employment for these programs.
Florence Kimball of the Friends Committee on National Legislation said that, while not denying the good that could come from some pervasively religious programs, the remarkable freedom of religious expression available to all faiths in the United States must be preserved. "Legislation of such importance merits meaningful exploration," she urged.
The Rev. John Burns, pastor of University Baptist Church in College Park, Md., read a statement by Curtis Ramsey Lucas, director of the legislative advocacy office of the American Baptist Churches, USA. "Confusing rhetoric used to portray government and faith-based partnerships and the sting of labels implying a lack of faith by some, must give way to a more deliberate debate," he said.
Helping people with food, housing and other necessities is not charity, he added. "It's justice!" Burns said he did not want to see a change in emphasis to charity in place of the social service that churches are called to do.
In introducing the topic and speakers, the Rev. Eliezer Valentin-Castanon, also a staff executive of the United Methodist board, noted that this legislation makes charitable choice the guide or standard for any other kind of granting process. He said the denominations differed in many beliefs but their representatives all had problems with H.R. 7.
He provided copies of "Community-Based Ministries and Government Funding," a guide that was prepared in the spring by three United Methodist agencies: the boards of Global Ministries and of Church and Society and the General Council on Finance and Administration. It may be downloaded from their Web sites, and limited printed copies are available from the agencies.
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*Purdue is news director of United Methodist News Service's Washington bureau.
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