The Justice Department has issued a new guidance on awarding grants to religious groups, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling in favor of private schools.
Under the 10-page guidance, the Office of Justice Programs cannot exclude religious or evangelizing groups from eligibility for grant funding. The office last year provided $5 billion in grants for programs ranging from juvenile services to victim counseling to community-based crime fighting.
“Faith-based organizations have a right to equal participation in the Department’s programs,” reads the guidance, which was issued Monday.
The guidance elaborates on scenarios in which groups receiving grants might evangelize or espouse religious beliefs and still be compliant with federal funding rules, including counseling a married couple on “constructive ways in which to handle religious differences” or pointing out that nonviolent demonstrations “are anchored in the teachings of many religious traditions.”
The guidance emerged from the Justice Department’s Religious Liberty Task Force, which formed in July 2018.
Officials noted that the guidance is based on the Supreme Court’s decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which held that parents can use taxpayer-financed vouchers for education at a Christian school.
• Christopher Vondracek can be reached at cvondracek@washingtontimes.com.
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