| Abstract: | On 29th January, 2001, President Bush issued an executive order creating a faith‐based initiative office. This paper examines the history of the separation of church and state in the United States starting with the Constitution's First Amendment which established the freedom of religion. Pertinent historical facts through the 1990s are presented. The paper then defines President Bush's faith‐based initiative and how it will be implemented. There is concern about whether this initiative will violate the Constitutional separation of religion and government. Another concern is how it will affect the religious organisations and the charities it is supposed to be helping. There is also a discussion on whether President Bush's faith‐based initiative will have a positive or negative impact on religious organisations as well as keeping then separate from the government. The concern is whether the initiative will benefit and progress society as a whole. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications |
