Faith-based charitable organizations do many good things that benefit our communities. There are circumstances in which it's good for government to team up with such groups. It can be done without violating the constitutional prohibition against government establishment of religion - but caution is needed.

Both President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and his predecessor, Republican George W. Bush, have championed faith-based initiatives.

However, when tax dollars are being spent, it is important that lines not be crossed and money doesn't go toward religious purposes.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Anti-Defamation League are right to call for close scrutiny of public money earmarked for religious organizations in the state's recently approved capital spending bill.

Nearly $40 million has been allocated to 97 religious organizations.

The list includes a number of churches, religious schools and similar organizations from St. Elizabeth Catholic Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago to South Park Baptist Church and Muhammad Holy Temple of Islam.

Over half a dozen of the religious organizations on the list are hospitals. It is relatively easy to see how capital projects at those hospitals could benefit the community without advancing religion. Less clear are projects involving capital improvements to schools, churches and similar facilities.

As noted in a Pantagraph story July 14, $200,000 in the capital bill will go to the $3.2 million St. Robert Bellarmine Student Center project across from the Illinois State University campus and $35,000 is going to a Jewish student center at the University of Chicago.

State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, said money for the project in Normal will be used in the student services portion of the student center. He sees it as a way to help ISU and its students.

But can the students services program be separated from the center's religious mission and will students of other faiths - or no faith - feel comfortable going to a Catholic or Jewish student center? And, the most important question, is this the proper use for public dollars?

A spokeswoman for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity told the Associated Press that there are internal controls to make sure public funds are used properly. But the ADL and Americans United wants the department to go further, such as requiring recipients to sign agreements that the money won't be used for religious purposes.

Although the phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear in the Constitution, numerous court rulings have made it clear that the government cannot spend money in ways that advance religion.

Illinois must follow those rulings and the Constitution, not simply the desires of lawmakers who championed these causes in the construction bill.