Obama's Right on Track With Faith-Based Initiatives

Many people are justifiably concerned that Barack Obama's plan to re-create and continue the White House's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives will blur the line separating church from state. I understand where they're coming from but think that Obama has the right idea. I'll let Jim Wallis explain why. From his Huffington Post blog:

I have hoped that both presidential candidates would re-commit the nation to this necessary and positive vision of partnership between the public sector and the faith community on the goals of poverty reduction. . . . The key to today's proposal is that it is based on public and faith-based partnership, and will not become another replacement for sound public policy. To truly be successful, this initiative must utilize the unique resources and identity of the faith community, while at the same time recognizing the indispensible role that government and public policy must play in tackling the root causes of poverty. Obama's proposals also contain necessary protections for religious liberty, pluralism, and constitutional safeguards.