Perdue encourages social involvement at GBC-sponsored prayer breakfast

Joe Westbury

Governor Sonny Perdue addresses legislators and pastors at the fourth annual prayer breakfast sponsored by the Georgia Baptist Convention. In his remarks, Perdue called for a stronger partnership between people of faith and government.

ATLANTA - Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue urged churches to become more involved in social issues during his address to legislators and pastors at the fourth annual Legislative Prayer Breakfast Jan. 26.

The event, hosted by the Georgia Baptist Convention, was held in the Empire Room of the James "Sloppy" Floyd Building overlooking the state capitol.

In noting the connection between public service and the gospel, Perdue made note of the effort to pass the Faith and Family Services Amendment.

Amendment reintroduced

The governor announced his intentions Jan. 7 to reintroduce the measure in the upcoming legislative session. The amendment would allow faith-based social service providers to compete for state funds without facing discrimination.

"We are trying to create [an environment] of service to help one another," said Perdue, who teaches a Sunday School class with his wife, Mary, at First Baptist Church in Woodstock. "I want the state to partner with you in [that] service."

The governor recounted how the roles of government and churches have largely reversed in helping the poor and needy.

In America's early days, the church was the institution that met many of society's needs through establishing hospitals and orphanages, feeding the hungry and clothing the poor, and providing education. But as the country developed a tax base, it began to take over those responsibilities. Many see the church as having abdicated its role during those transitional years.

The governor acknowledged the church's potential to once again meet those needs through an infrastructure already in place and abundance of volunteers.

"Think of the number of people in your pews and the influence you have. You have a body of volunteers, a calling, a passion. We want to bring those entities (civil government and faith-based groups) together."

That calling and passion to minister is often met with limited resources, said Perdue. Those resources could be provided in part by the government, in spite of those who would claim such a partnership as unconstitutional.

Separation of church and state must not be misconstrued from its original intent, the governor said.

"Our founders wanted freedom of religion, not freedom from religion," he said. "To impose the willingness of not believing on people is just as wrong as imposing our own beliefs."

The Faith and Family Services Amendment will require a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate for passage. Upon passage, the amendment will appear on the November 2006 ballot and require a majority vote.

The amendment was originally presented prior to the 2004 legislative session. It passed in the Senate but later died in committee.