PULLING STRINGS FROM THE PULPIT?: From the Kansas City Star

Which of the following pastors may cost his congregation its tax-exempt status?

In the pulpit, Pastor Smith reminds his congregation that a church member is running for political office. "He's a good man; let's support him. You can pick up campaign literature in the vestibule."

At another church, Pastor Brown delivers a blistering sermon opposing gay marriages. "Get a voter guide after service. It shows how candidates voted on this and other issues of concern to us."

If you've picked Pastor Smith, you're right.

Pastor Smith strayed by endorsing a candidate from the pulpit. Pastor Brown stuck to the law by just sticking to the issues.

The involvement of clergy, churches and synagogues in politics is not new. One example is the role they played during the civil rights era.Just how clergy become involved varies. Ways have included shaping congregational opinion on issues or actions to solve social problems, said Laura Olson, political science professor at Clemson University and an expert in religion and politics.

"Many clergy perceive their involvement in programs, such as sheltering the homeless, feeding the hungry and helping women with unplanned pregnancies, as being political in nature." ...

What's not allowed seems pretty straightforward, according to guidelines published by the IRS: Tax-exempt organizations, including houses of worship, "are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or opposition to) any candidate for elective public office."

Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made by or on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity.

Violation can mean the loss of tax-exempt status....

What is permitted, however, is more than most people may think. According to the IRS tax guide for religious organizations, federal tax laws allow houses of worship to engage in nonpartisan voter education activities and activities that encourage people to register and vote and to participate in the electoral process.

Despite the rules, there appear to be ways around some of them.

For example, in many black churches it is not uncommon for a candidate to speak but not his or her opponent, said professor Fredrick Harris, director of the Center for the Study of African-American Politics at the University of Rochester.

"They get around this by inviting candidates they prefer to be their 'men's day' or 'women's day' speaker or speaker on some other program," he said. "They may choose to have a candidate forum during the week, or the minister may recognize a candidate as a 'friend' of his or hers. These are ways that ministers avoid being explicitly partisan."

Many clergy have been misinformed and think they are not allowed to talk about politics in the pulpit, Theriot said.

"They are scared to death of losing their tax-exempt status," he said. "And if there is any chance that the IRS might get interested in them, then they don't want to do anything."

Speaking and teaching on moral issues is not illegal but the work of the church, said the Rev. Jerry Johnston of First Family Church in Overland Park, Kan. He has been leading the effort for evangelical and conservative congregations to register new voters, hold candidate forums and distribute the voting records of politicians on the marriage amendment and abortion issues.

McKnight, whose Mainstream Coalition has started monitoring political activity in Johnson County, Kan., churches, said, "Jerry Johnston's voter guide goes right up to the law."

"But it cannot be disallowed just because it is against the spirit of the law. Narrowly focused voter guides become real touchy, and this guide doesn't tell the basis on which the votes were given."

Pastor Mike Anderson, congregational life pastor at Olathe (Kan.) Bible Church, said he recently preached on God's definition of marriage. He urged members to read the Bible and, in light of God's definition of marriage, vote their conscience. He was careful not to recommend specific candidates.

Anderson said he is grateful for the meetings sponsored by First Family Church to mobilize church leaders who support the marriage amendment.

"They really convicted me of my own inclination to avoid issues that would be confrontational," he said. "But sometimes we need to confront issues, because Jesus did not sidestep the issues of his day. He did it in a loving way."

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posted by Eve at 5:00 PM VOTE

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