Yesterday, we gathered a few reactions to Obama's faith-based initiative rollout in Ohio. Responses keep coming in -- here are a few of the most interesting:

Jim Wallis seems to share David Kuo and John DiIulio's guarded optimism. (Wallis was involved with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives before his opposition to the Iraq War rendered him persona non grata.)

Wallis appreciates Obama's "robust vision" and expresses a desire that future efforts don't "get mired in the endless political debates of the past while God's concerns for the weak and vulnerable get ignored," as happened when the Bush administration politicized the office.

A few others from the Beliefnet blogging tree weighed in:
Dan Gilgoff points out the Family Research Council seizing the chance to reiterate its displeasure with Obama's stance on same-sex marriage. Imagine my surprise.

Rod Dreher also explores the same-sex marriage angle, speculating that "the only churches, synagogues, etc., that would be eligible to receive federal funds would be those that have abandoned traditional teaching on homosexuality."

Taking a broader perspective are Beliefnet's Steven Waldman and The New Republic's Damon Linker. While Linker was personally "disappointed" with Obama, he sees a possible evangelical bump:

"Is it possible that the Democratic nominee for president in 2008 is the better Christian candidate? That is the question Obama's speech attempted to plant in the minds of evangelicals voters."

Waldman points out how Obama's community organizing experience could go a long way in shaping his initiative. He also lists three main benefits a faith-based plan provides the candidate:
1. Appeal to evangelicals.
2. Inevitable attacks from the left: "It provides Obama a low-cost way of showing himself not to be a standard-issue liberal (whatever that means these days)."
3. A chance to rebut all those accusations of elitism: "Obama may not be able to bowl, but he sure can pray. And he can't possibly be a Harvard elitist if he's a Man of Faith. Can he?"

No doubt there will be countless more reactions ranging from "how dare he?" to "how daring!" The devil or (in this case) the g-o-d is, as always, in the details. Between now and November, it will be fascinating to see how Obama's ideas take shape (in terms of policy) and take root (with voters, religious and secular).