As the chair of the faith-based working group of the National Coalition for the Homeless, I spent much of 2001 studying how President Bush intended to use faith groups to help implement his public policy position. In the end, the National Coalition for the Homeless joined the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church and many other religious organizations in opposing President Bush’s efforts.

Senator Barack Obama today will call for the creation of a new White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Unlike President Bush’s plan, Senator Obama has proposed an effort that is respectful of the Constitution and that seeks to hold all programs obtaining federal funds accountable for outcomes. For example, President Bush did not hold religious charities to the same high standards as secular charities. Senator Obama promises not to make that mistake and will ensure that that government funds are not used to promote religion.

I have spent my entire adult life working to fight poverty, hunger and homelessness. We need partnerships between government, faith communities and the private sector to accomplish our goals. But only the government – with all the vast resources at the state’s disposal – can set the economic conditions that will truly reduce poverty. We need an extension of the Earned Income Tax Credit and universal health care, for example. We need better schools. As Senator Obama will say today, “We need all hands on deck.”

I applaud Senator Obama for his willingness to address poverty so directly and to look outside the box for answers to America’s most pressing problems.

- The Rev. Chuck Currie