Report On White House Faith-Based Conference In Minneapolis

The Minnesota Monitor this week carried a two-part series (part 1, part 2) on the White House Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives held last week in Minneapolis. Monitor reporter Andy Birkey reported that over 1000 people were in attendance. He summarized the atmosphere as follows:

Inside the conference, the official message was that government partnering with faith-based services can make America a better place. Unofficially, the message was apologetic and sometimes persecutive. Faith-based groups have been discriminated against in receiving grant money, many argued. The initiative is a way to "level the playing field."

Many presenters pointed to 'Minnesota Nice' as the ideal of the initiative, and the recent bridge collapse became a narrative for how faith-based groups and government can work together, particularly in Minnesota....

Perhaps the most important part of the conference was teaching the attendees, as well as state officials, the legal responsibilities that faith-based groups face in accepting government funds.

Despite those concerns, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty began his remarks by reading from the Bible.