White House releases faith-based guidelines

A new White House report that offers guidance on public-private partnerships between the government and faith-based groups leaves critical questions unanswered and does not resolve the issue of religious groups’ ability to discriminate in hiring and firing, two church-state experts have said.

The 50-page report, issued April 28, comes 18 months after President Obama issued an executive order calling for more transparency as faith-based groups work with the government to meet social needs. The report breaks little new ground but reaffirms that:

• A faith-based organization can provide federally funded social services without removing religious art, scriptures and symbols from its facilities.