Liberal Group Says They Merge Gov't with Religion, Violate Constitution
By Allie Martin and Jody Brown
February 26, 2003
(AgapePress) - A liberal group is taking a Christ-centered prison ministry to court in Iowa, saying it is unconstitutional to rehabilitate inmates "by converting them to fundamentalist Christianity."
The lawsuit was filed against Prison Fellowship and one of its programs, the Iowa InnerChange Freedom Initiative, by the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The suit claims the ministries violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by merging government with religion.
Specifically, Americans United charges that InnerChange "indoctrinates participants in religion, discriminates in hiring staff on religious grounds, and gives inmates special privileges if they enroll."
For more than two decades, ministries such as InnerChange and Prison Fellowship have offered the hope of Jesus to those behind bars -- and with positive effects on their lives. In fact, Prison Fellowship reports that a recent evaluation of the Texas InnerChange program by an in-state criminal justice council shows only 8% of those inmates who participated in the program were back in prison within two years. That compares to a 22% return rate among those who were eligible to participate but did not.
 Mark Earley |
Earley also notes that no inmates are forced to participate in any InnerChange programs, which are open to those of all faiths or no faith -- and that those who do volunteer to participate are told in advance of the "faith-centered nature" of the program. He adds that in the Iowa program, any state monies received are used only for non-sectarian expenses; funds for religious programming comes from private donations.
Barry Lynn, executive director for American United, says public funds should be used to help rehabilitate all inmates -- "not just those who are willing to convert to fundamentalist Christianity." He also is particularly critical of President Bush's endorsement of faith-based programs like InnerChange.
"Sadly, President Bush sees nothing wrong with an arrangement like this -- and indeed, wants to spread it across all social services," Lynn says in a prepared statement. "It's a dangerous agenda that must be stopped."
The lawsuit, Americans United for Separation of Church and State v. Prison Fellowship, is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
A Testimony
Rocco Morelli was once known as the "Wall Street Gangster." The former mafia hit man and ex-convict accepted Christ through a prison ministry. He says faith-based groups such as Prison Fellowship and InnerChange should be allowed to minister to offenders.
"My mom was a Christian who prayed, and for 12 years I was out there living that lifestyle -- but faith changed my life," Morelli says. "Once I heard the message through the man of God who gave his testimony that was very similar to what I was going through at the time, I made a 'heart decision' and gave my life to Christ."
Morelli says Christ-centered ministries can fill a void in the lives of many men in prisons nationwide.
"They hear my testimony of someone who's been there and done it, and it gives them some hope," he says. "They look to someone like me and say 'Wow, God changed your life and you turned in around -- there’s still hope for me.'
"I tell them to just give it up, repent of your sins, run from it," Morelli says. "The Bible tells us to flee from the very appearance of evil."
Morelli is a regular speaker at Operation Starting Line events, an outreach of Prison Fellowship.
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