Obama's New Faith Council to Meet Next Week

President Obama says there will be different rules for his new faith council, versus G. W. Bush's "Faith-Based Initiatives," which handed out money willy-nilly to any evangelical Christian organization that said it could provide "social work," "drug counseling," and other services the organizations were not qualified to provide. Still, it is unsettling to church-state separation supporters that Mr. Obama is even appointing a faith council. However, even before the proposed 25 members are in place, it seems the council has hit a snag with an invitation to former NFL coach Tony Dungy, whose ultra-conservative religious views could pose some political problems.

New Faith Council Expected to Meet Next Week

4/2/09 - Newsweek "God in Government"

We're hearing that the president's faith advisory council will hold its first meeting, an orientation session, next Monday evening in Washington.

The council, which will advise the White House Office on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships on policy, so far has 15 members, and the president is expected to name 10 more shortly.

It's been almost six weeks since the first 15 were named. One possible hold-up for announcing the remaining members is Tony Dungy, former NFL coach. Sources say he's been asked to join the council but hasn't decided yet.

Dungy could be a controversial member because of his remarks at a 2007 banquet at the Indiana Family Institute, which promoted an amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriage. Dungy endorsed the institute's position, saying, "I'm on God's side."

The Family Research Council came to Dungy's defense yesterday in a statement that said Dungy had used his celebrity "promote adoption, prison ministry, family values, outreach to the poor, and simple Christian decency."

Faith office director Joshua Dubois did not return calls and e-mails seeking comment.