Public Policy

Obama revamps White House faith-based initiative

Under President Barack Obama, there will be changes in White House partnerships with faith-based and community programs. Speaking to the National Prayer Breakfast in early February, the president emphasized his commitment to faith-based organizations that provide social services, but with an expanded focus.

The newly renamed Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will retain the structure of a White House office and 11 federal agency centers from the Bush administration. However, it adds a council composed of faith-based and community leaders from around the country that will provide policy recommendations to the new director, Joshua DuBois.

The office will focus on four priorities:

  1. economic recovery and poverty reduction
  2. reducing the need for abortion
  3. responsible fatherhood
  4. international faith dialogue

Following the announcement, the president signed amendments to the executive order creating the faith-based office and met the members of the new council. In addition, he ordered a legal review of whether faith-based groups can use religious grounds in hiring decisions.

Fifteen members have been named to the council, which will expand to 25 members, each serving one-year terms. They are:

  • Rabbi David Saperstein, director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
  • The Rev. William J. Shaw, president, National Baptist Convention
  • Arturo Chavez, president, Mexican American Catholic College
  • The Rev. Frank S. Page, president emeritus, Southern Baptist Convention
  • The Rev. Larry Snyder, president, Catholic Charities USA
  • The Rev. Otis Moss Jr., pastor emeritus, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland
  • Eboo Patel, founder and executive director, Interfaith Youth Core
  • Fred Davie, president, Public/Private Ventures
  • Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, African Methodist Episcopal Church
  • Melissa Rogers, director, Center for Religion and Public Affairs at Wake Forest University's School of Divinity
  • The Rev. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor, Northland Church in Longwood, Fla.
  • The Rev. Jim Wallis, chief executive, Sojourners
  • Diane Baillargeon, chief executive, Seedco
  • Richard Stearns, president, World Vision
  • Judith N. Vredenburgh, chief executive, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America