back to articles index

(published in the Fort Worth Star Telegram on Feb. 4, 2001)

Getting rid of the 'thou shalt nots'

(The following OpEd was written by Dr. Kurt Senske regarding President Bush's faith-based initiative.)

Thou shalt not ...

Most folks familiar with the Judeo-Christian tradition know that those are the beginning words of the Ten Commandments. But until recently, they could have been the first three words restricting the work of faith-based organizations that are committed to serving children, the poor and elderly.

Government funding for faith-based organizations like Lutheran Social Services or Catholic Charities isn't new. We have long received Medicaid funding for the poor who live in our nursing homes and for the care we provide abused children in our foster homes and treatment centers.

Unfortunately, some well-meaning people began to worry that clients of faith-based organizations were being subjected to unwanted church services or prayers. To protect them, the pendulum swung too far to the left.

New rules and regulations – the "thou shalt nots" – were written.

The government told faith-based organizations what they could not do if they were to continue to receive government funding.

Some agencies changed the way they operated and felt compelled to hide their faith. Others turned down government contracts because they believed that following the rules compromised their missions.

When Bush became Texas' governor, he understood the value that faith-based organizations could bring to the table. He understood that by working together, governmental agencies, faith-based organizations, congregations and volunteers could accomplish more than by working alone.

Instead of discriminating against faith-based organizations, Bush created a climate in which our work was valued. He created a culture of acceptance that faith-based organizations could provide services to those in need and often do an even better job than their secular counterparts.

Bush brought about an awareness that faith-based organizations provide a value-added dimension of care through their voluntary offering of spiritual care in addition to the other care provided.

It meant an acknowledgment that many nonprofit, faith-based organizations do an excellent job of feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, caring for children and helping the addicted and unemployed -- and often at a savings to the taxpayers.

For Lutheran Social Services, it meant that under the "charitable choice" legislation, we were able to partner with the state of Texas to begin "Coaching for Success" in San Antonio (and subsequently in El Paso and Houston) to help women make the transition from the public assistance rolls.

We do not ask our clients what their religious beliefs are. And our volunteers receive specific instruction that they are not to impose their beliefs, but rather to serve as models of compassion. We ask them to be friends, advisers and mentors.

Does our program work?

Initial results show that about 60 percent of our clients have landed or kept a job after six months in our program. More than 80 percent have increased self-confidence after being in the program. Women are demonstrating to women that they care and are willing to help each other in time of need.

The reality is that by working alone, we could not have made this program work. Although we had the motivation and expertise, we simply didn't have the resources. The state, on the other hand, had the resources but not always the motivation and expertise.

I applaud Bush for establishing the Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives. The president's executive order levels the playing field so that faith-based organizations will be on equal footing in their efforts to help the children, elderly and poor.

Faith-based organizations no longer have to be the stepchild to for-profit companies and other secular organizations when trying to serve the citizens of our great country.

This order also means we do not have to downplay the fact that we are Lutheran or even Christian. We are not barred from offering voluntary programs to address the spiritual needs of the nearly 26,000 children, elderly and poor whom we serve annually throughout Texas and Louisiana.

The "thou shalt nots" have been removed.

back to articles index