Head of White House Faith-Based Initiative Interviewed

Today's Waco, Texas Tribune-Herald publishes an interview with Jay Hein, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Among other things, Hein says he expects that his Office, created by Executive Order, will survive beyond the Bush administration. He said: "more and more public officials on both sides of the political aisle see the pragmatic value of this as a governing strategy." Asked about safeguards in maintaining separation of church and state in the program, Hein said: "We're setting the bar very high on understanding appropriateness, the appropriate use of public funds and the appropriate expression of faith in delivery of services."