Signs of the Times: Rising Washington Tide Against Religious Hiring Print PDF

Written by IRFA | 27 July 2010

It doesn’t seem to matter to certain powerful members of Congress and powerful DC action groups that religious hiring by faith-based organizations is a legally protected and essential religious freedom and management practice for the organizations—an important reason why they are able to make their vital particular contributions to the common good.

Read more...

PBS Airs Religious Hiring Story Featuring IRFA President and Baltimore Rescue Mission Print PDF

Written by IRFA | 29 May 2010

Ethics and Religion Newsweekly, the PBS television show focusing on religion topics, is airing on Memorial Day weekend a story entitled "Religious Hiring: Should a Federally Funded Faith-Based Group Hire on the Basis of Religion?"  Reporter Kim Lawton interviewed IRFA President Stanley Carlson-Thies for the story.  She also features the Helping Up Mission, a Baltimore ministry to homeless men, an organization that regards religious hiring to be crucial to its mission and effectiveness.  Check your local listings for air times, or find the story online.

Read more...

IRFA’s July 22nd Capitol Hill Briefing Print PDF

Written by IRFA | 27 July 2010

On July 22nd, IRFA organized a briefing for congressional staffers and outside groups with the title, “Is the Religious Freedom Landscape Shifting for Faith-Based Organizations?”  Speakers noted a series of troubling court and congressional actions.

Read more...

Listen in: Challenges Facing FBOs Print PDF

Written by IRFA | 28 June 2010

IRFA President Stanley Carlson-Thies discussed trends in institutional religious freedom with host Alan Reinach of Freedom's Ring Radio (Church State Council and the North American Religious Liberty Association) in February.

Click here to listen to the fifteen minute audio interview .

More Articles...

ADVICE TO THE PRESIDENT

The federal faith-based initiative, extending back into the Clinton administration, has always been about improving the government's relationship with private organizations--secular and faith-based, large and small--that serve needy people and communities. It has involved many program innovations, organizational changes, and reforms of rules. At the center has always been action to ensure that faith-based organizations can collaborate with government programs without having first to suppress or hide their religious identity and faith-shaped practices.

President Barack Obama has promised an expanded and improved faith-based initiative. At a minimum, his initiative must not backtrack on the gains that have been made to ensure equal opportunity for faith-based organizations to participate in federally funded programs.

Equally important, the President should work with Congress to ensure that other federal rules and regulations--in areas that do not necessarily involve government funds, such as accreditation, employment rules, and tax-exempt status--are fair to faith-based organizations, safeguarding their religious identity and characteristics.

For the Coalition to Preserve Religious Freedom's advice to candidate Barack Obama,  go here .