Obama Faith-Based Initiative includes secular "community organizations" (+ illegal immigration supporters Jim Wallis, David Saperstein)

On Feb. 5, Barack Obama issued an Executive Order [1] making changes to George W Bush's 2001 Order which established the "White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives". That's now the "White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships", and per the press release [2]:

[It] will be a resource for nonprofits and community organizations, both secular and faith based, looking for ways to make a bigger impact in their communities, learn their obligations under the law, cut through red tape, and make the most of what the federal government has to offer.

Will those "community organizations" include groups like ACORN? That remains to be seen.

At the same time, he also established an advisory council for the program, which will have up to 25 members; the current list is below. Two names leap out due to their support for illegal immigration: Jim Wallis and David Saperstein. The problems with the first's arguments have been discussed here in the past; the second is a frequent quote source in support of illegal immigration and was mentioned here and here. On a brighter note, the plan and the advisors aren't sitting too well with the far-left [3]. A few details on some of the others are here. If anyone has details on the others listed, please leave a comment.

Here are the four "key priorities":

* The Office’s top priority will be making community groups an integral part of our economic recovery and poverty a burden fewer have to bear when recovery is complete.

* It will be one voice among several in the administration that will look at how we support women and children, address teenage pregnancy, and reduce the need for abortion.

* The Office will strive to support fathers who stand by their families, which involves working to get young men off the streets and into well-paying jobs, and encouraging responsible fatherhood.

* Finally, beyond American shores this Office will work with the National Security Council to foster interfaith dialogue with leaders and scholars around the world.

Here are the advisors:

Judith N. Vredenburgh, President and Chief Executive Officer, Big Brothers / Big Sisters of America Philadelphia, PA

Rabbi David N. Saperstein, Director & Counsel, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and noted church/state expert Washington, DC

Dr. Frank S. Page, President emeritus, Southern Baptist Convention Taylors, SC

Father Larry J. Snyder, President, Catholic Charities USA Alexandria, VA

Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., Pastor emeritus, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church Cleveland, OH

Eboo S. Patel, Founder & Executive Director, Interfaith Youth Corps Chicago, IL

Fred Davie, President, Public / Private Ventures, a secular non-profit intermediary New York, NY

Dr. William J. Shaw, President, National Baptist Convention, USA Philadelphia, PA

Melissa Rogers, Director, Wake Forest School of Divinity Center for Religion and Public Affairs and expert on church/state issues Winston-Salem, NC

Pastor Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland, a Church Distributed Lakeland, FL

Dr. Arturo Chavez, Ph.D., President & CEO, Mexican American Cultural Center San Antonio, TX

Rev. Jim Wallis, President & Executive Director, Sojourners Washington, DC

Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie, Presiding Bishop, 13th Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church Knoxville, TN

Diane Baillargeon, President & CEO, Seedco, a secular national operating intermediary New York, NY

Richard Stearns, President, World Vision Bellevue, WA

[1] whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ AmendmentstoExecutiveOrder13199andEstablishmentofthePresidentsAdvisoryCouncil
forFaith-BasedandNeighborhoodPartnerships

[2] whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ ObamaAnnouncesWhiteHouseOfficeofFaith-basedandNeighborhoodPartnerships

[3] ramara.streetprophets.com/story/2009/2/5/144547/1476

Sat, 02/07/2009 - 13:51 · · Importance: 9