Obama administration continues religious emphasis of the Bush era, but offers hope that the new approach will be more inclusive and less sectarian
by Megan Brownlee
"There is one law that binds all great religions together," President Barack Obama said at the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5. "It is, of course, the Golden Rule - the call to love one another, to understand one another, to treat with dignity and respect those with whom we share a brief moment on this Earth.
"Instead of driving us apart, our varied beliefs can bring us together to feed the hungry and comfort the afflicted, to make peace where there is strife and rebuild what has broken, to lift up those who have fallen on hard times."
The National Prayer Breakfast, founded in 1953 by former U.S. representative Frank Carlson, is an annual event in which thousands of guests, specifically religious and political leaders, convene for breakfast, prayer, meetings and a series of dinners. The event has been attended by every President since Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Obama used the breakfast as an opportunity to publically address religious tolerance and acceptance. He said although religious differences will exist, religion is often used as a tool for division and hostility.
"No matter what we choose to believe … there is no religion whose central tenet is hate. Far too often, we have seen faith wielded as a tool to divide us from one another – as an excuse for prejudice and intolerance. Wars have been waged. Innocents have been slaughtered. For centuries, entire religions have been persecuted, all in the name of perceived righteousness… We subscribe to different accounts of how we came to be here and where we're going next – and some subscribe to no faith at all.”
Within hours of the breakfast, Obama officially established the "White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships," a slightly revamped version of the "White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives," which was established by former President George W. Bush near the beginning of his first term.
Obama’s version of the initiative, like its predecessor under Bush, supports providing federal funds to social service projects activated by religious charities. Watchdog organizations such as the Secular Coalition for America have sharply criticized the continuation of the Bush administration's faith-based program.
Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, expressed strong disappointment in the decision, as well as worries that it lacks constitutional safeguards.
Joshua DuBois, a 26-year-old former Pentecostal pastor who led religious outreach for Obama in his senate office and presidential campaign, is the newly appointed head of the office. He has attempted to dispel the secularist fears concerning that the office will continue to violate the separation of church and state.
"This is not a religious office or a religious administration," says DuBois. "We are going to try to find ways to work with faith-based and community organizations that are secular in nature, and don't cross the boundaries between church and state. We understand it is a fine line. But it's a line we're comfortable walking."
Many political analysts view Obama’s religiously based policies as an effort to unify different religious ideologies nationwide. In the 2008 presidential election, Senator John McCain won 16 of the 20 most prominent religious states, a figure that underscores an obvious feature of the American political landscape. The Republican Party's base is largely composed of religious conservatives, so the new administration would likely reap significant political benefits if it is able to diminish the gulf between the Democratic Party and religious conservatives.
Based on Pew study surveys, 10 percent of Americans are atheists/agnostics and Obama has acknowledged the importance of that demographic. Ron Millar, director of the Secular Coalition for America, appreciates the recognition, but notes that the legacy of the Bush administration is a serious blurring of the line between church and state.
"We are pleased that he recognizes that we exist,” Millar said."But there's a lot of work to do to reclaim our secular character, after the amount of influence the religious right has had over the last eight years."
Obama’s references to multiple religious and secular ideologies in discourse is consistent with his campaign promises to promote religious respect and tolerance. At the National Prayer Breakfast, Obama spoke of plans to encourage intellectuals and religious leaders to facilitate dynamic discussion regarding faith.
“We will reach out to leaders and scholars around the world to foster a more productive and peaceful dialogue on faith,” Obama said in his speech proceeding the breakfast. “I don't expect divisions to disappear overnight, nor do I believe that long-held views and conflicts will suddenly vanish. But I do believe that if we can talk to one another openly and honestly, then perhaps old rifts will start to mend and new partnerships will begin to emerge.
"Perhaps we can begin to crowd out the destructive forces of zealotry and make room for the healing power of understanding. This is my hope. This is my prayer.”