The effectiveness of faith-based community outreach organizations has come under scrutiny in a recent Penn study comparing those institutions with their secular counterparts.
Byron Johnson, the director of the Center for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society, conducted the study which found that, while faith-based community outreach organizations are effective, they are no more successful than secular programs.
Penn found itself at the center of discussion over these kinds of organizations when Political Science Professor John DiIulio was tapped to head the White House's newly-created Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in Jan. 2001. He resigned the post in August 2001, and has since returned to teaching at Penn.
And although DiIulio, a colleague and long-time supporter of faith-based organizations, or FBOs, did not contribute to the study itself, he offered his thoughts on the findings in the forward he wrote for the study.
"We do not yet know either whether America's religious armies of compassion, local or national, large or small, measurably outperform their secular counterparts," DiIulio wrote in his forward. Nor do we know "whether... it is the 'faith' in the 'faith factor,' independent of other organizational features and factors, that accounts for any observed differences in outcomes."
While Johnson fully supports FBOs and believes they have potential, his study claims that not enough empirical data exists to validate their success.
"The goal of the study was to take an objective and honest report of faith-based organizations," Johnson said. "Prior to this, any studies had been based on speculation -- [this] was the first attempt to systematically review faith based organizations."
Johnson also said he hoped "that this will bring a new generation of research, and we have reasons to be optimistic," about these kinds of programs.
According to the report, FBOs generate over $20 billion in private contributions, providing aid to over 70 million Americans.
"It is absolutely amazing," Johnson said, noting that, despite those numbers, little attention has been payed to FBOs until the Bush administration. Since his inauguration, President Bush has focused a lot of support on FBOs.
Prior to Johnson's study, there have been 25 studies examining FBOs.
Philadelphia Mayor John Street has also consistently been recognized by the Bush administration as a model proponent for such organizations.
And Frank Keel, a mayoral spokesman, spoke of Street's commitment to the cause.
"The Mayor recognizes [FBOs] as something that needs to be considered, especially after President Bush has been so vocal about the organizations and Philadelphia itself," Keel said. Bush highlighted Street and Philadelphia for their work with FBOs in his inaugural speech.
"Unfortunately, it's gotten off to a slow start [in Philadelphia]. The primary hurdle has been money," Keel said. "It's been difficult to obtain the funds to adequately staff these organizations to the best benefit of all."
However, despite problems on a local basis and the findings of this study, the White House remains confident in its support of FBOs.
"It is important to recognize that there is a lot of positive information about FBOs" in Johnson's study, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said. "The President believes that it is extremely important to stimulate outpouring [of funding and services] to pioneer a new model of cooperation.
"We always are interested in findings people have. It's quite possible that a review of the study will help shape our programs."
The House of Representatives recently passed the Community and Faith-based Initiatives Bill, which would grant federal funding and support to such programs. The bill is currently awaiting Senate approval before Bush can, and according to Stanzel will, sign it into law.
"We're working very closely with the Senate," Stanzel said. "We would like to remove the barriers to social services and FBOs as soon as possible."
On Feb. 1, Bush appointed the former head of Florida's Department of Health Jim Towey to lead the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
