This book focuses not simply on abstract questions of the promise and potential dangers of church-state cooperation, but also on concrete issues where religious organizations are leading problem solvers. The authors examine the promises and perils of faith-based organizations in preventing teen pregnancy, reducing crime and substance abuse, fostering community development, bolstering child care, and assisting parents and children on education issues. They offer conclusions about what congregations are currently doing, how government could help, and how government could usefully get out of the way.
E.J. Dionne Jr. is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, cochair of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, and a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post Writers Group. Ming Hsu Chen, a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow at New York University Law School, served as a research assistant at the Brookings Institution.
"This book is a thorough and accessible introduction to the debate for newcomers, yet it also offers depth and breadth in examining specific issue areas and approaching the technical questions." Liza Hetherington and Amy Reynolds, Georgetown University, The Georgetown Public Policy Review, 4/1/2002 |"The papers contain interesting, useful information.... insightful.... informative." Ellis M. West, University of Richmond, Perspectives on Political Science, 7/1/2002 |"This weighty anthology of 21 essays and assorted 'comments' from specialists... succeeds in its objectives." Al Menendez, Voice of Reason, no. 1, 2002 |"A heavyweight attempt to creep up on the subject from myriad different angles.... Thought-provoking stuff..." Colin Donald, The Daily Yomiuri (Tokyo), 5/19/2002 |"The volume's well-crafted balance and breadth ensure its appeal to various groups: social service providers, community activists, policy analysts, social scientists, educators, and public officials.... While some contributors hold clear-cut positions, taken as a whole the volume serves to open debate rather than pronounce judgements, to explore issues rather than push agenda." Heidi Rolland Unruh, Eastern University, Wynnewood, PA, Journal of Church and State, 7/1/2002 |"This anthology contributes to the dialogue [about government and religion] in a timely fashion." Albert J. Menendez, associate director of Americans for Religious Liberty, Humanist, 7/1/2002
