Day 17 (July 9):        Religion and Domestic Politics

a) Morning Session - Religion and Faith-Based Initiatives

A topic of much current interest is the faith-based initiative, or the use of religious organizations in securing federal, state, and private funds for providing social services. What are the strengths and pitfalls of this initiative? Are there potential violations of church-state relations where public funds are involved? The session looks at what is the most controversial public initiative before religious bodies in the U.S., and in California especially because of its widespread, but diverse practices. To what extent such initiatives may be altering the pubic face of American religion will be a critical question.

Panel:

J. Gordon Melton, Editor of Encyclopedia of American Religion

David Machacek, Project Director, "Religious Pluralism in Southern California" Project

Assigned Reading:

Diana Butler-Bass, "Faith," Reader

Read material on faith-based communities found on web site of the Center for Religion and Civic Life, USC

b) Free Time