God and the Inner City 2003

God and the Inner City

Directed by Michael Pack

In 2001 President Bush created the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Beyond issues of separation of church and state, do these initiatives really work better than secular, government-run programs? This program follows the efforts of the leaders of two initiatives with differing approaches: the non-proselytizing style of the Reverend Gene Rivers of Baker House in Dorchester near Boston and Pastor Mike Zello, director of Teen Challenge, a drug rehabilitation program premised on Christianity. Also profiled is the Amachi Program for children of incarcerated parents in Philadelphia.