The Jefferson 21st Century Institute's position regarding the Bush administration's "Faith-Based" social action initiative can currently be described as tentative and ambivalent, yet concerned.

The Institute's position is tentative in that the Institute has yet to fully understand the program. Pending fuller understanding, it is premature to issue blanket condemnations.

The Institute's position is ambivalent due to the Institute's concurrence with the Bush Administration's position that churches and other spiritual-based organizations should not be discriminated against when the government invites non-governmental entities to administer social programs. However, the Institute is very concerned that churches which accept government funds risk corrupting their spiritual principles as they submit to restrictions on faith propagation.

In other words, even though it may be possible to constitutionally structure programs to fairly include faith-based entities in their administration, it may not be in the best interests of churches, synagogues, temples and mosques to be included.

Thomas Jefferson noted that when religion and government become overly entwined both end up rotten. It remains to be seen if the Bush administration can choreograph a "crab dance" between government and faith-based organizations which does not end in a stinking embrace.

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