REPORTfrom the Capital BJC weighs in on proposed faith-based regulations, affirms progress On October 5, the BJC, working with a government funding of “inherently religious broad coalition of dozens of organizations, activities” to prevent government funding of submitted comments on proposed regula- religion, a violation of the First Amendment. tions that would govern partnerships be- This phrase has proved confusing for some tween the government and faith-based social faith-based providers because the services service providers. These regulations from provided (such as operating a food pantry) nine federal agencies demonstrate a move were motivated by religious directives (for toward sound resolution of a church-state example, Matthew 25:35). The proposed reg- conflict that has been bitterly contested for ulations change the terminology to prohibit Magazine of the more than two decades. government funding of “expressly religious Baptist Joint Committee In early August, the Obama administration activities.” Faith-based providers may not took a significant step to strengthen part- use government funding to pay for overtly nerships between the federal government religious activities such as worship, religious Vol. 70 No. 8 and religious organizations that provide instruction or proselytization. The proposed services for those in need. The issuance of the regulatory changes clarify that activities must September/October proposed rule changes is part of a complex be offered at a different time or in a different administrative process that will continue location from any federally funded program- 2015 over the next few months. The breadth of this ming. development, and its potential to provide A second — and arguably the most import- consistency and protect government benefi- ant — improvement is the requirement that INSIDE: ciaries, is welcome news for religious liberty. beneficiaries receive written notice of their This is the latest in a long story that began rights before receiving services. The written q Board meeting. 2 with “charitable choice,” a legislative provi- notice would identify five basic beneficiary sion inserted into a handful of social services protections: no discrimination because of laws in the 1990s that affected financial personal religious belief, no requirement to q Pope Francis visit. 3 partnerships between the federal government participate in explicitly religious activities, a and religiously affiliated organizations. requirement that expressly religious activ- In 2001, President George W. Bush empha- ities be separated in time or location from q Fellows Seminar. 6-7 sized the importance of these partnerships those which are federally funded, optional through his faith-based initiatives, instituting referral to an alternative provider, and con- regulatory changes aimed at protecting the tact information to whom beneficiaries may q Winning essay . 8-9 religious character of providers and creating report organizations violating these regula- faith-based offices throughout the govern- tions. This is a significant improvement for ment. Building on these developments, protecting individual rights while permitting President Barack Obama created a bipartisan the government to contract with the greatest Connect with the BJC advisory council to shore up legal footing for number of potential providers. what he re-named the White House Office of With the comment period now closed, BJConline.org Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. the agencies will review all the submitted The advisory council’s consensus recom- comments before issuing final rules. While BJConline.org/ mendations formed the basis for President work remains to be done, these proposals Blog Obama’s executive order in November 2010, are a significant step in the right direction which established important guidelines for for strengthening partnerships between the partnerships between the federal government federal government and faith-based service Facebook.com/ and faith-based social service providers. And providers while protecting the religious ReligiousLiberty now, after years of work, these agencies have liberty rights of both the beneficiaries who released notices of proposed rulemaking to receive government services and the groups @BJContheHill implement that order. that provide them. First, the current regulations prohibit —K. Hollyn Hollman Walker announces retirement plans at board meeting WASHINGTON — J. Brent Walker will retire at the end ment in the late 1990s, opposing government-sponsored of 2016 as executive director of the Baptist Joint Commit- displays of Ten Commandments monuments in the mid- tee for Religious Liberty. 2000s, and speaking out against the targeting of individ- Walker announced his plans at the meeting of the BJC uals based on religion during heightened Islamophobia Board of Directors, comprised of representatives of the in the early 2010s. BJC’s 15 supporting member bodies. His tenure also includes an emphasis on education as “It has been a privilege to serve the cause of religious well as advocacy in the courts and Congress, the change liberty through an organization as respected as the Bap- in the agency’s name from “Baptist Joint Committee on tist Joint Committee,” Walker said. “Just as I discerned Public Affairs” to “Baptist Joint Committee for Religious an undeniable spiritual calling to perform this ministry, Liberty” in 2005, and the opening of the Center for Reli- I sense that it is time to turn the reins over to someone gious Liberty on Capitol Hill in 2012. else.” The board meeting also Walker is an ordained minis- included the election of new ter and a member of the U.S. Su- officers, discussion of a new -vi preme Court Bar. He first joined sion statement to guide the BJC the BJC staff in 1989 as associate and the passing of an increased general counsel. In 1993, he operating budget. Daniel Glaze, was named general counsel pastor of First Baptist Church of and, upon the retirement of Ahoskie, N.C., and a represen- executive director James Dunn tative of the Cooperative Baptist in 1999, Walker was called to Fellowship of North Carolina, be the agency’s fifth executive was elected chair. Tambi Swin- director. He is the longest-serv- Walker announces his intentions to retire from the BJC ey, representing the Religious ing staff member in the almost at the end of next year. Liberty Council, was elected 80-year history of the BJC – 2016 will mark his 27th year vice chair. She is the associate pastor of Immanuel Baptist with the organization. Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Jim Hopkins, a represen- Walker’s legacy at the BJC includes working to pass the tative of American Baptist Churches USA and pastor of landmark Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 1993 and Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church in Oakland, California, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act in was elected secretary. The new treasurer is Perry Hopper 2000, standing against efforts to amend the First Amend- of the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board who also represents American Baptist Churches USA. After the election of new officers, the board chose a search committee to recommend a candidate to be the next leader of the BJC. The members are Hal Bass, Ark- adelphia, Arkansas; Valoria Cheek, Valley Forge, Penn- sylvania; Dan Hamil, Rocklin, California; Jackie Baugh Moore, Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas; Suzii Paynter, Decatur, Georgia; Oliver “Buzz” Thomas, Maryville, Tennessee; Amanda Tyler, Washington, D.C.; and Glaze serving in BJC Board Meeting an ex-officio capacity. “With a clear mission, strong staff and needed voice New BJC Board officers from left: Perry Hopper of MMBB and in the public square, I am confident the BJC is poised to American Baptist Churches USA, treasurer; Tambi Swiney of soar to new heights as it enters its ninth decade,” Walker the Religious Liberty Council, vice chair; Daniel Glaze of the said. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, chair; and Jim Hopkins of American Baptist Churches USA, secretary. —Cherilyn Crowe Report from the Capital September/October 2015 Gus Reyes, representing the Kip Banks of the Progressive Baptist General Convention of National Baptist Convention Texas, talks with Suzii Payn- chats with Jim Johnson of the The BJC Board of Directors is comprised of representatives of the ter of the Cooperative Baptist Baptist General Association of 2 BJC’s 15 member bodies. Fellowship. Virginia. REFLECTIONS Pope Francis: A religious liberty advocate Pope Francis’ visit to the United States — and, for of practicing Christianity and embodied avenues of me, the opportunity to welcome him at the White freedom from ecclesiastical convention. House — was a historic and special time. So much Other remarkable and relevant features of Pope has already been written and said about it, I hate to Francis’ visit were defined by reaction from others. J. Brent Walker try to gild the lily. But, I feel it’s important to shed The first has to do with his embrace of pluralism — Executive Director light on what his visit meant for religious liberty the inclusion of all God’s children in the Kingdom and other matters of interest to the work of the of God and the rights of secular citizenship. This Baptist Joint Committee. was counterposed by Dr. Ben Carson’s thorough I was, first of all, astonished by the energy and repudiation of the fitness of a Muslim to serve stamina of this 78-year-old pontiff. Just watching as president because Islam — in his words — is him travel some 14 hours (round trip) and engage incompatible with the U.S. Constitution. Thank- in peripatetic activity for five days wore me out. fully, almost everyone — including conservative The man is a human dynamo. commentators such as Charles Krauthammer and I appreciated his embrace of religious liberty Michael Gerson — quickly repudiated Carson’s “For five days, across the board without getting into the specif- position, pointing out that the U.S. Constitution poisonous politics ic issues that are the divisive stuff of our culture itself bans religious tests for public office in Article wars. (Even his apparent meeting with Kim Davis VI.