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Role of faith-based organizations in
social services is in the news again
[12-21-00]
Debate
continues on Bush proposal to use religious groups to provide social
services with government funding [1-26-01]
President-elect George W. Bush met on Wednesday (Dec.
20, 2000) with some 30 representatives of various religious groups, to
discuss his ideas about using religious organizations to administer
programs for the poor, using government money to strengthen their
efforts.
A report from the Cox News Service highlights the
differing opinions on this approach to compensating for the reductions
that have been made over the last few years in federal aid programs for
the poor. While some groups give their hearty support to this idea
(including the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty in
Grand Rapids, Mich., which helped to develop of Bush's proposal), others
expressed concern at the breaking of the separation between church and
state.
One such view came from Carter Echols, executive
director of Call to Renewal, a multidenominational nonprofit group that
addresses poverty and social injustice issues. Echols was quoted as
saying, ''There have been times in the past where relying on faith-based
groups is a way for government not to do its fair share.''
Click
here for the full story.
A
New York Times report on the Austin meeting records more
of the discussions at the meeting itself, along with comments by people
such as Jim Wallis of Call to Renewal, an ecumenical coalition that
focuses on poverty issues, and the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, executive
director of the Interfaith Alliance.
Witherspooner Gene TeSelle wrote some time ago
about this issue. Click here
for his comments and links to other background material.
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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