by Leslie Lenkowsky

About the author: Leslie Lenkowsky is a professor of philanthropic studies and public policy at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

On the campaign trail [in 2000], George W. Bush staked a large part of his claim to “compassionate conservatism” on the belief that a range of social services now run by secular agencies could be more effectively administered by religious groups—groups that had shown the ability, as he declared on the stump, “to save and change lives.” So it was no surprise that one of Bush’s first major initiatives as President was to open a new White House office devoted to lending support to “faith-based” organizations whose services include things like family counseling, operating homeless shelters, and the...