Religion & Social Welfare

Ongoing debates regarding welfare reform and faith-based initiatives touch on a sensitive area of public discourse: how Americans should care for the poor and the needy. The creation of the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives in 2001 brought the work of religious organizations to the forefront of this discussion. Several years later, policymakers and religious communities alike are still divided about the participation of faith-based organizations in the delivery of federally funded social services. These debates also raise fundamental questions about whether and how government policies should reflect American religious values, including the sometimes competing ideals of personal responsibility and social justice.

Americans strongly favor increased government aid to the poor. According to a July 2005 poll conducted by the Pew Forum and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, 69% of Americans favor providing more generous government assistance to the poor. There is considerable agreement among members of major religious traditions – and seculars – on this point. Americans also tend to support the idea of faith-based groups receiving government funding to provide social services, but many find the practical implications of this idea troubling. In particular, the public expresses strong concerns about both the influence of government on particular religious organizations and the impact of religious groups on the people they are trying to help. Americans also have concerns about government-funded organizations hiring only those who share their beliefs. Still, a solid majority of Americans (66%) favor allowing churches and other houses of worship to apply, along with other organizations, for government funding to provide social services.

The Pew Forum offers a variety of resources that examine the relationship between religious organizations, social service providers and government, including reports, polling data, event transcripts and the latest news.

Resource Pages
Welfare Reform