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08/29/2008
In God there is no right or left
by C Wills
How the Church can participate in a charged election season
By Christie Wills
The high profile campaign for president has generated more excitement for the electoral process. Although the central calling of the Church is to share the message of God’s love, it need not watch the election from the sidelines.
Houses of worship enjoy a considerable benefit from government: contributions are tax-deductible for the donor and tax-exempt for the church. But because Americans don’t want their tax dollars supporting political causes, the tax benefits come with some caveats.
The crucial action that churches must avoid is any activity that would appear to endorse one candidate over another. Religious leaders and congregations may take a position on important issues facing their community as long as they do not favor one candidate or party.
• A church may hold a voter registration drive but it must not base the drive on any single issue because a single issue may be too closely associated with one candidate or party. However, religious leaders may and should encourage people to vote.
• Clergy can take a position on important issues but their statements should not suggest— even implicitly—support of or opposition to any candidate.
• Churches may host debates as long as the ground rules are fair to all candidates. However, if there are two candidates in a race and one declines to debate, the church may not hold the event.
• Churches may invite individual candidates to speak at separate times as long as all candidates have the opportunity to speak under similar circumstances.
• Churches may urge worshippers to vote for or against ballot measures as long as political activity does not become a “substantial” part of the church’s total activities.
Some activities clearly violate tax laws and are prohibited:
• Churches may not focus their voter registration drives in specific geographic areas chosen because they are key districts that will determine the outcome of the election.
• Churches may not coordinate their voter registration or get-out-the-vote activities with a candidate or political party.
• A church may not ask candidates to pledge support for its religious denomination’s position on an issue.
(Source: The Interfaith Alliance)
Although she believes that one of her churches leans left politically and the other leans right, both churches sponsored petitions on a Nelson County environmental issue that had broad support from parishioners regardless of their political affiliation.
When issues arise that are divisive, Parrish said, “My parishioners are good to agree to disagree. We can tease each other. But I think we know that we agree on a lot more than we disagree on.”
The Rev. John Gardner of Trinity, Rocky Mount, believes that the Church cannot stand aside from politics.
“We have to provide a unique witness—and we have one to provide: the Gospel,” said Gardner.
Gardner said that his parish is going to join the ecumenical effort coordinated by Sojourners to place issues surrounding poverty on the forefront of the political agenda.
The Interfaith Alliance commissioned a Gallup Organization poll that determined sixty-one percent of Americans believe that they don’t have much effect on the political process. But two-thirds of people of faith believe that religious leaders should promote voting and civic participation.
As the Interfaith Alliance points out, the fact that the law allows an activity doesn’t mean that the activity won’t upset members of the congregation. But it is the job of leaders in the church to help congregations fully engage with civic life, while staying clear of hazardous partisan snares.
“If the Church talks about politics the way the world does, then we are no different than others. It is the witness of a Christian to go beyond party lines. We have to stand out there and call parties and politicians to accountability,” said Gardner.//
Information in this article was based on “A 2008 Campaign Season Guide for Houses of Worship,” by the Interfaith Alliance Foundation who vetted these details with the IRS. The mission of the Interfaith Alliance is to promote the positive and healing role of religion in public life.
The high profile campaign for president has generated more excitement for the electoral process. Although the central calling of the Church is to share the message of God’s love, it need not watch the election from the sidelines.
Houses of worship enjoy a considerable benefit from government: contributions are tax-deductible for the donor and tax-exempt for the church. But because Americans don’t want their tax dollars supporting political causes, the tax benefits come with some caveats.
The crucial action that churches must avoid is any activity that would appear to endorse one candidate over another. Religious leaders and congregations may take a position on important issues facing their community as long as they do not favor one candidate or party.
God is in the details
What is and is not permissible? Here are guidelines for some of the finer points:• A church may hold a voter registration drive but it must not base the drive on any single issue because a single issue may be too closely associated with one candidate or party. However, religious leaders may and should encourage people to vote.
• Clergy can take a position on important issues but their statements should not suggest— even implicitly—support of or opposition to any candidate.
• Churches may host debates as long as the ground rules are fair to all candidates. However, if there are two candidates in a race and one declines to debate, the church may not hold the event.
• Churches may invite individual candidates to speak at separate times as long as all candidates have the opportunity to speak under similar circumstances.
• Churches may urge worshippers to vote for or against ballot measures as long as political activity does not become a “substantial” part of the church’s total activities.
Some activities clearly violate tax laws and are prohibited:
• Churches may not focus their voter registration drives in specific geographic areas chosen because they are key districts that will determine the outcome of the election.
• Churches may not coordinate their voter registration or get-out-the-vote activities with a candidate or political party.
• A church may not ask candidates to pledge support for its religious denomination’s position on an issue.
(Source: The Interfaith Alliance)
Navigating the journey
The Rev. Judy Parrish, rector of Trinity, Arrington and Grace Church, Massies Mill, said that she tries not to “preach politics” but she doesn’t avoid the political side of two topics which stay on her front burner: the Millennium Development Goals and the environment.Although she believes that one of her churches leans left politically and the other leans right, both churches sponsored petitions on a Nelson County environmental issue that had broad support from parishioners regardless of their political affiliation.
When issues arise that are divisive, Parrish said, “My parishioners are good to agree to disagree. We can tease each other. But I think we know that we agree on a lot more than we disagree on.”
The Rev. John Gardner of Trinity, Rocky Mount, believes that the Church cannot stand aside from politics.
“We have to provide a unique witness—and we have one to provide: the Gospel,” said Gardner.
Gardner said that his parish is going to join the ecumenical effort coordinated by Sojourners to place issues surrounding poverty on the forefront of the political agenda.
The Interfaith Alliance commissioned a Gallup Organization poll that determined sixty-one percent of Americans believe that they don’t have much effect on the political process. But two-thirds of people of faith believe that religious leaders should promote voting and civic participation.
As the Interfaith Alliance points out, the fact that the law allows an activity doesn’t mean that the activity won’t upset members of the congregation. But it is the job of leaders in the church to help congregations fully engage with civic life, while staying clear of hazardous partisan snares.
“If the Church talks about politics the way the world does, then we are no different than others. It is the witness of a Christian to go beyond party lines. We have to stand out there and call parties and politicians to accountability,” said Gardner.//
Information in this article was based on “A 2008 Campaign Season Guide for Houses of Worship,” by the Interfaith Alliance Foundation who vetted these details with the IRS. The mission of the Interfaith Alliance is to promote the positive and healing role of religion in public life.
