Most federal social programs are run by government employees, who are paid a salary and benefits. Religious groups, and many secular charities, use largely unpaid volunteers to provide social services. Bush's plan would allow churches, mosques and synagogues to compete with secular organizations for grants to provide services the government thinks are needed. Faith-based groups have considerable experience at providing human services. Helping the needy is a central tenet of many religious doctrines and their record is excellent.
Government is a relative newcomer.
While Bush's plan is largely untested on the national level, it has been used successfully by states. An African Methodist Episcopal program delivers adoption services in Florida, for example, and a Baptist group provides juvenile justice intervention, AIDS prevention and child care. Government wouldn't be ordering anyone to pray, nor would it fund proselytizing. Bush has expressly banned using the money for any type of religious instruction or worship. Proselytizing is neither illegal nor immoral anyway.