Obama Walks Fine Line on Government Efforts to Aid Religious Charities

President Obama is proceeding cautiously on the contentious question of changing policies on government support of religious charities, reports The Washington Post.

During the presidential campaign, Mr. Obama said he would reverse a Bush administration decision allowing government contracts for religious groups that proselytize to those they serve or hire only within their own faith, but instead he has turned the issue over to the Justice Department for study.

While civil-liberties groups are pressing the president to act on the campaign pledge, the revamped White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships is reaching out to many of the same religious groups whose prior contracts created controversy.

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