[09.30.08] In an unprecedented move Sunday, pastors from across the nation
gave their personal political views from their pulpits, openly defying tax rules
for nonprofit organizations.
gave their personal political views from their pulpits, openly defying tax rules
for nonprofit organizations.
Pulpit Freedom Sunday, an initiative of the conservative, Arizona-based
legal group Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), garnered widespread support from
pastors nationwide who want to challenge a U.S. tax code, written in 1954, that
bars them from preaching about politics.
legal group Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), garnered widespread support from
pastors nationwide who want to challenge a U.S. tax code, written in 1954, that
bars them from preaching about politics.
“Pastors have a right to speak about biblical truths from the pulpit
without fear of punishment,” said senior legal counsel Erik Stanley for ADF,
which promised to represent for free any pastor challenged by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS). “No one should be able to use the government to
intimidate pastors into giving up their constitutional rights.”
without fear of punishment,” said senior legal counsel Erik Stanley for ADF,
which promised to represent for free any pastor challenged by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS). “No one should be able to use the government to
intimidate pastors into giving up their constitutional rights.”
On Monday, a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C.,
filed complaints with the IRS against six of the 31 churches that participated.
“This is one of the most appalling Religious Right gambits I’ve ever seen,” said
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church
and State. “These pastors flagrantly violated the law and now must deal with the
consequences.”
filed complaints with the IRS against six of the 31 churches that participated.
“This is one of the most appalling Religious Right gambits I’ve ever seen,” said
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church
and State. “These pastors flagrantly violated the law and now must deal with the
consequences.”
Americans United called Pulpit Freedom Sunday “a mass defiance of federal
tax law.” “Church leaders are supposed to tend to Americans’ spiritual needs,
not behave like partisan political hacks,” Lynn said. “I urge the IRS to act
swiftly in these cases.”
tax law.” “Church leaders are supposed to tend to Americans’ spiritual needs,
not behave like partisan political hacks,” Lynn said. “I urge the IRS to act
swiftly in these cases.”
Stanley countered that preaching about the moral qualifications of
candidates running for office is a First Amendment right of pastors, despite the
federal tax regulations that prohibit them from intervening or participating in
a political campaign.
candidates running for office is a First Amendment right of pastors, despite the
federal tax regulations that prohibit them from intervening or participating in
a political campaign.
“What’s important is the ability of the pastor to be the leader of the
church,” Stanley told Charisma Tuesday. “Pastors [should] be able to
stand in the pulpit, speak scriptural truth as they see it, and not have the
government come in, look over their shoulders and say, ‘You can’t say
that.’
church,” Stanley told Charisma Tuesday. “Pastors [should] be able to
stand in the pulpit, speak scriptural truth as they see it, and not have the
government come in, look over their shoulders and say, ‘You can’t say
that.’
“In essence,” he added, “what we’re really trying to do here is enforce a
very healthy separation between church and state, keeping the government out of
the pulpits of America when a pastor stands to speak scriptural truth.”
very healthy separation between church and state, keeping the government out of
the pulpits of America when a pastor stands to speak scriptural truth.”
Before the pulpit initiative launched, hundreds of churches expressed an
interest in participating. Stanley said for reasons of legal strategy the list
was narrowed down to 33 churches. He said two of those congregations plan to
participate in the coming weeks.
interest in participating. Stanley said for reasons of legal strategy the list
was narrowed down to 33 churches. He said two of those congregations plan to
participate in the coming weeks.
The ADF also ensured that each pastor had the full support of their church
boards and that they all understood the risks and benefits of the project.
boards and that they all understood the risks and benefits of the project.
Stanley said pastors were bold about their participation, immediately
reporting themselves to the IRS by mailing transcripts of their sermons and
inviting investigations.
reporting themselves to the IRS by mailing transcripts of their sermons and
inviting investigations.
“If the [IRS] comes after them, we’ll file suit,” Stanley said. “If the IRS
does nothing, then I think that speaks volumes in and of itself—that what these
pastors did was not a violation. We’re very much respectfully working within our
system of laws, which allows for … civil rights challenges.”
does nothing, then I think that speaks volumes in and of itself—that what these
pastors did was not a violation. We’re very much respectfully working within our
system of laws, which allows for … civil rights challenges.”
Lynn, however, believes pastors should play no role in challenging federal
laws. “A pastor who knowingly violates federal tax law is setting a poor example
for his or her congregation,” he said. “Every pastor who took part in this stunt
ought to be ashamed.”
laws. “A pastor who knowingly violates federal tax law is setting a poor example
for his or her congregation,” he said. “Every pastor who took part in this stunt
ought to be ashamed.”
The six churches reported to the IRS by Americans United were: Bethlehem
First Baptist Church in Bethlehem, Ga.; Fairview Baptist Church in Edmond,
Okla.; Warroad Community Church in Warroad, Minn.; Calvary Chapel on the Kings
Highway in Philadelphia; First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif.;
and New Life Church in West Bend, Wis.
First Baptist Church in Bethlehem, Ga.; Fairview Baptist Church in Edmond,
Okla.; Warroad Community Church in Warroad, Minn.; Calvary Chapel on the Kings
Highway in Philadelphia; First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif.;
and New Life Church in West Bend, Wis.
Lynn argued that when five of the six churches endorsed Republican
presidential candidate John McCain, “it’s hard not to see the ADF scheme as
partisan in character.”
presidential candidate John McCain, “it’s hard not to see the ADF scheme as
partisan in character.”
Yet the ADF team of lawyers holds that pastors have been muzzled in their
pulpits for too long and have every right to express their moral views regarding
elections and candidates. “We expected this to end in litigation,” Stanley said.
“This is a very serious, very sober-minded challenge to an unconstitutional law.
This is not a publicity stunt. This is not a political ploy.
pulpits for too long and have every right to express their moral views regarding
elections and candidates. “We expected this to end in litigation,” Stanley said.
“This is a very serious, very sober-minded challenge to an unconstitutional law.
This is not a publicity stunt. This is not a political ploy.
“It’s not about any particular candidate. It’s not about any particular
party. It’s not a conservative or a liberal issue. The issue is not whether a
pastor or a church must endorse or oppose a candidate. The issue is, ‘Who gets
to regulate that?’ It’s not the government that should regulate that.” —Paul
Steven Ghiringhelli
party. It’s not a conservative or a liberal issue. The issue is not whether a
pastor or a church must endorse or oppose a candidate. The issue is, ‘Who gets
to regulate that?’ It’s not the government that should regulate that.” —Paul
Steven Ghiringhelli
