President George W. Bush's plan to encourage faith-based organizations to compete for government funding of social programs will be discussed by a panel of specialists in the fields of politics, community service and activism, religion, and urban life at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 22, at the University of Rochester.
Panelists will include Gerald Gamm, chair, Department of Political Science, University of Rochester; Gregory Parris, University chaplain, pastor of Church of Love, and president of Eagle Development Corp.; Curt Cadorette, John Henry Newman Associate Professor of Roman Catholic Studies in the Department of Religion and Classics, University of Rochester; and Kenneth Reardon, Department of City and Urban Planning, Cornell University.
William Scott Green, Dean of the College and Philip S. Bernstein Professor of Judaic Studies at the University of Rochester, will moderate the discussion in the Interfaith Chapel.
In the early months of his presidency, Bush has spotlighted the value of work by faith-based and other charitable groups. "Government cannot be replaced by charities, but it can and should welcome them as partners," said Bush. On Jan. 30, the White House proposed legislation affecting charitable deductions, contributions to charities, and certain donations to these groups.
This presentation is sponsored by the Interfaith Chapel, the Community Learning Center, and the Political Science Undergraduate Council. It is free and open to the public.