Current and former BJC staff members play key roles in shaping the office
Members of the President’s Advisory Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships gathered for a two day face-to-face meeting on July 8-9. During the summit, members mapped out plans to link government and religious groups, and they evaluated and discussed the priorities of the group’s six task forces: reform of the office, economic recovery and poverty, responsible fatherhood, interfaith dialogue, climate change and global poverty
The group charged with reforming the office is chaired by Melissa Rogers, former BJC General Counsel and the current director of Wake Forest University’s Center for Religion and Public Affairs. BJC Executive Director Brent Walker is a member of the same task force.
At the July meeting, Rogers said the reform task force will ensure church-state restrictions are clear when religious organizations partner with the government. It also will examine issues with 501(c)(3) organizations and religious groups, and it plans to find methods to ensure people of different faiths (or of no faith) benefit equally from the government’s partnership with religious groups.
Several council members told administration officials they want to make sure that government partnerships extend to the city and county level — in part to ensure that economic recovery funds reach struggling grass-roots nonprofits.
Joshua DuBois, the executive director of the office, said he expects intergovernmental outreach to increase, but he is seeking recommendations from the advisers on best approaches for that cooperation. He also reiterated that the council will not be dealing with the question of religious hiring. That will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by other entities, including the White House Counsel and the Department of Justice.
Many of the advisers’ proposals will be developed into a report to the White House next year. Some of the panel’s work will be evident before then, such as regional town hall meetings on fatherhood scheduled for later this year.
PHOTOS: Task force chair (and former BJC general counsel) Melissa Rogers, task force member and current BJC executive director Brent Walker
