A federal judge in Iowa begins hearing a lawsuit today charging that Prison Fellowship's faith-based rehabilitation program for Iowa prison inmates is unconstitutional.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State alleges that the InnerChange Freedom Initiative seeks to convert prisoners to Christianity at taxpayer expense.

The president of Prison Fellowship is former Virginia attorney general Mark Early. He says Iowa provides 40 percent of the program's funding, but insists that the government money is used for non-religious expenses. He adds that the program is voluntary and achieves a secular goal: reducing the likelihood of repeat crimes by ex-convicts.

Prison Fellowship also has faith-based prison programs in Texas, Kansas and Minnesota.