Faith and U.S. Foreign Assistance Policy
J. Brady Anderson Monday, 1 September 2008
In crafting the famous line from the Declaration of Independence—"all Men are created equal ... endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights"—the Framers took their language from the biblical narrative where God bestowed his image on every person in the act of creation. People of faith often cite this principle of imago dei, yet too few consider how the concept extends to U.S. foreign assistance.
While many religious and secular institutions have an enviable record in serving the poor entirely through private funds, a significant role remains for U.S. government agencies. The government's role is crucial because the problem is so overwhelming and because humanitarian aid and economic development is an essential aspect of post-9/11 U.S. diplomacy in the developing world.
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