Stimulus bill anti-religious?

No, this Christianity Today piece flatly states, despite the carping from the Christian right, among them Huckabee, the Christian Coalition, American Center for Law and Justice, Traditional Values Coaltion … you get the point. The stimulus bill signed by Obama on Tuesday includes a qualification that federal funds may not be used to renovate facilities […]

No, this Christianity Today piece flatly states, despite the carping from the Christian right, among them Huckabee, the Christian Coalition, American Center for Law and Justice, Traditional Values Coaltion … you get the point.

The stimulus bill signed by Obama on Tuesday includes a qualification that federal funds may not be used to renovate facilities “(i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or school department of divinity; or (ii) in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission.”

Scholar Tobin Grant says those restrictions have been in place in higher ed policy for more than 40 years, and that rather than harm religious colleges and universties, it actually helps them.


Moneyquote: “Not only does the bill state that these funds may be used to renovate facilities at private institutions, it also states that governors may not consider `the type or mission’ of a college or university. The states must consider religious institutions along with public and other private colleges and universities.

There are only two major restrictions on the use of funds. First, the funding cannot be used for athletic facilities or other events where admission is charged. Second, the facilities must have a religiously neutral purpose.

Even with these two restrictions, nearly all buildings at religious colleges and universities would qualify for funding.”

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