Raze the Church/State Wall? Heaven Help Us!

It is not uncommon for a president to work to undo the policies of his predecessor. Certainly, George W. Bush surprised no one by systemically undoing the work of Bill Clinton. More unnerving are Bush's recent efforts to undo the work of two other former presidents: Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

Though others, like Thomas Paine, were influential, it was Jefferson and Madison who laid the foundation for our long-held doctrine of the separation of church and state. In recent days, Bush has revealed a comprehensive effort to create his own vision of church-state relations. If successful, Bush may bring about the most fundamental change in American democracy since its creation.

Immediately after taking office, Bush announced that he would transform the relationship between church and state by incorporating religious organizations into public work. Now, in a flurry of recent actions, the Bush administration has started what can only be viewed as a revolutionary change for our government and perhaps his most lasting legacy as president.

Just consider some of the changes being implemented:

* creating of an office dedicated entirely to assisting faith-based organizations in securing federal funding and playing a direct role in public programs;

* expanding school voucher programs in which religious schools will receive public money;

* funding faith-based organizations to use proselytizing and prayer to cure drug addiction and other social problems;

* guaranteeing the right of religious organizations to openly discriminate in hiring on the basis of religion without losing federal funds;

* funding the construction of religious buildings that can be used for religious activities and such public purposes as counseling or food pantries;

* stripping federal funding from any school that interferes with or fails to accommodate "prayer or Bible study" by teachers or students.

With these and other initiatives, the wall between church and state would become a mere historical marker where separation was once maintained.

Obviously, this is still a far cry from a theocracy, but it is also a far cry from the secular government envisioned by framers like Jefferson.