May 22 2000

ARTICLE TOOLS

Find similar articles E-mail this page

Seven questions govern the content of this book, and the largest is this: "Should government make greater use of faith-based organizations to provide social services and education?" Glenn, professor of administration, training, and policy studies at Boston University, answers yes as he argues for a new relationship between government and faith-based organizations, one that will (a) prevent the government from "establishing religion," and (b) protect the integrity and autonomy of faith-based organizations.

Olasky's implicit endorsement of George W. Bush mars an otherwise interesting book. Olasky, professor of journalism at the University of Texas, Austin, and editor of World, has been an adviser to Bush since 1993; he allows Bush to introduce the book and conclude it in an appendix. Between, however, are intriguing stories (some successful, some not) of privately based social ministries in Texas, Indianapolis, the East Coast, and Minnesota, which illustrate Olasky's distrust of government and enthusiasm for private, faith-based initiatives. In short, this is a narrative-based apologetic for "compassionate conservatism."

Though Martin Marty, senior editor of The Christian Century and professor emeritus at the University of Chicago Divinity School, admits that "public religion can be dangerous," he also argues that it "can and does contribute to the common good." Marty, wary of extremists, advances these two theses with four others (like "Traditional ...