Via Religion Clause, William Wan reports that the President's Faith Advisory Council held a "lively debate" via phone conference yesterday as they begin the process of drafting a report. The primary issue under debate was whether religious organizations providing social services with taxpayer money should be required, asked, or encouraged to cover or remove religious symbols while delivering government-backed aid.
Melissa Rogers, director of Wake Forest's Center for Religion and Public Affairs, who is leading the group tasked with solving such church-state issues laid ouit three possibilities the council could recommend:
1. Making such religious icons not allowed for federally funded services.
2. Allowing it only if no other religious neutral rooms are available and covering up such icons is impratical.
3. Not requiring removal of such icons but encouraging religious orgs to be sensitive about the issue.
That led to a lengthy debate from which no clear consensus emerged. As the council's various taskforces finish up their reports, some thorny issues like this look like they'll require footnotes or majority/minority opinion sections (ala supreme court).
Rogers will coordinate the council's final report.
