I am writing a paper concerning the pros and cons of Bush's faith based initiatives. Of course I have found an overwhelming response from many other denominations, but I would like to hear from my own.

How do you feel about Bush's faith-based initiatives?

-- Anonymous, July 06, 2003

Answers

I am completely comfortable with the President's Faith-based initiative programs. The only reason why many of our black clergy are skeptical about these programs is due to personal politics not program integrity or Constitutional concerns about church-state seperation. I base this conclusion on my experience with the predecessor of the President's program. The predecessor of faith- based initiatives grew out of a conference I attended at Harvard University in 1992 called the Black Church Economic Development Project sponsored by the Harvard Divinity School. The keynote speaker was former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros who articulated a visionary concept which looked to provide incentives and targeted assistance to churches and church supported CDCs which offered housing, day care and employment services to residents in economically-distressed neighborhoods. The idea was warmly received by a distinguished collection of black clergy, e.g. Charles Adams, Johnny Youngblood, Fred Lucas. The sister of Rev. James Forbes, Senior Minister of Riverside Church in NYC, was subsequently appointed Executive Director by Secretary Cisneros with new Federal budgetary resources. This was nothing more than "fatih-based initiatives" under a different name yet there was no dissenting view expressed by these same leaders about the so-called sturctural problems of society or reluctance about taking part in the program. Once however a GOP President advanced the idea the rhetoric changed. The uncomfortable truth is that though political rhetoric is subject to change, the problems of the underclass in our society remain unchanged. QED

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2003

As I said in another post, the leadership of other denominations embrace the Faith Based Initative and benefit from it, while our leadership laugh and make jokes. This pastor will make maximum use of the Faith Based Initative.

Be Blessed,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, July 08, 2003

The concern comes from the politics that do occur within the church based upon the receipt of faith based grants. A prime example is this: The congress person made a presentation to the membership of over 1000 during a church service. Later that afternoon this congress person stood in the pulpit of a baptist church with several other black ministers holding hands singing we shall overcome. This is the same pulpit where a female member announced her calling to preach but was told that she could not preach in that pulpit because she was a woman. These actions although said and unsaid was an endorsement of this congress person during a very close election. It was done from the pulpit of a black church. This same congress person supported Pres. Bush's commentary on Affirmative Action, has voted against Affirmative Action, failed numerous reveiws by the NAACP, has never stepped foot inside of a black church without a government funded taxpayer check. It is the belief of some who are skeptical that this person is indeed buying votes with the assistance of her "boys" oops I mean "ministers" in the pulpit. Oh, and the money which was almost $50 million to various churches has NOT been used for complete community development. These funds have been used to build bigger better individual churches.

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2003