Explores prevalent assumptions about what religious organizations are and do, how they fit into the independent or nonprofit sector, and what is reasonable to expect of or for them. Reviews basic facts about the nature, scope, operations, and support of religious organizations, examining their levels of independence. Focuses on the basic…

Notes that the congregation-based child care community is a dominant, diverse, vibrant, and growing segment of child care provision, and updates current state of these centers. Explores how congregations are expected to play an increasingly important role in the child care field. Includes overall child care statistics for 12 denominations in the…

Clarifies the constitutional issue raised by government efforts to cooperate with faith-based organizations, noting that while programs can be constitutional without necessarily being good public policy, too frequently political and constitutional controversies mix these two considerations, thus confusing those trying to understand and resolve…

The largest mass women's movement of the 19th century was the women's mission movement. Initially, in the early 1800s, the concerns the mission societies addressed were mainly parochial, such as raising money to support young men in their theological studies. Gradually, women's mission societies began expanding their interests to a more public…

Public/Private Ventures launched a national demonstration in 15 cities to assess the effectiveness of faith-based initiatives in working with youths involved in the juvenile justice system. The initiatives focused on high-risk youth and developed programs involving mentoring, education, and employment readiness. This report focuses on whether…

In the late 19th century, camps in the Adirondacks responded to concerns that the American character was softening. Much camping philosophy came from the progressive movement in education. Aspects of Indian culture were adopted because they seemed to fit naturally in the Adirondacks, and children loved them. Adirondack camps have always been…

The paper discusses the functions and activities of the World Council of Churches (WCC), particularly in connection with combating racism and poverty. The hypothesis is that policy makers interpret religious organizations such as the WCC as models of international communications in microcosm. Specific model functions of the WCC are identified.…

Argues that the act of worship can become an act of resistance against the hegemony of a dominant culture. Maintains that congregational life offers the possibility to awaken people's discontent, foster skepticism toward prevailing assumptions, articulate ethical alternatives, and develop readiness for struggle and change. (MJP)

The 1998 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) was the first federal legislation to contain a "charitable choice" provision allowing faith-based organizations (FBOs) to compete for state and federal government funds on the same basis as secular providers. For FBOs that consider pursuit of government…

Part 1 of the education directories for 1919 and 1920 includes U.S. Department of Interior government educational activities. The contents include various government departments and independent establishments including the Library of Congress and the Commission of Fine Arts. Part 2 describes public school systems. The contents include principal…