The Internal Revenue Service announced earlier this month that it would no longer enforce a measure that prohibits pastors from endorsing political candidates from the pulpit.
The Johnson Amendment, which had been in effect since 1954, made religious leaders and other entities liable to lose their tax-exempt status if they endorsed specific candidates ahead of elections or engaged in other political activities, such as raising money for political candidates.
While supporters of the amendment viewed it as an important provision of the separation between church and state, critics charged that it violated religious freedom and freedom of speech.
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In 2008, the religious freedom legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom launched “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” an annual event held to raise awareness and protest the Johnson Amendment.
As part of the observance, hundreds of churches nationwide would film worship services in which pastors would discuss electoral politics from the pulpit, and then send the recordings to the IRS, in the hopes of creating a test case to get the measure struck down by the courts.
The Christian Post reached out to a couple of churches participating in Pulpit Freedom Sunday to get their perspectives on the IRS’ decision to allow pastors to endorse candidates from the pulpit.
‘It’s about time’
Dan Fisher, pastor at LifePoint Bible Church of Oklahoma, told CP that he has participated in every official Pulpit Freedom Sunday, but also spoke to his congregation “about the issues and candidates every time there has been an election, whether there was an official Pulpit Freedom emphasis or not.”
“I have always believed a Christian cannot separate their faith from their politics. That would be akin to separating our faith from our education, job, hobbies, etc. It is simply ludicrous,” said Fisher.
“So, when I received an invitation to participate and the elders of my church encouraged me to do so, it was a natural outflow of everything I had been preaching, teaching and doing all my ministry.”
While Fisher recounted being “criticized and ridiculed for my stand,” he “never encountered any ‘legal’ resistance” from progressive groups “nor was I prosecuted or sued for my stand.”
Regarding the recent change by the IRS, Fisher told CP he believes “it’s about time” that they had done so, adding that they “simply admitted what many of us have known all along — the government nor any of its agencies have the right or power to censor speech — whether that speech is political or religious.”
“Furthermore, a church’s tax-exempt status is not a ‘gift from a benevolent government.’ It is a right recognized by our Founders from our earliest days and one that has been confirmed time and time again by our courts,” he continued.
Regarding possible concerns that speaking about politics from the pulpit might alienate those in the pews, Fisher stressed that “the pastor is not the church,” but rather “an individual who pays taxes just like everyone else.”
“Just because he declares his view on political issues based upon his understanding of Scripture and personally endorses a candidate from the pulpit does not mean the church is endorsing that candidate or necessarily agrees with everything the pastor says,” Fisher said.
“As with any other subject, those attending the church can come to their own decisions and conclusions apart from those of the pastor.”
‘More bold’
Pastor Daren Mehl of Warroad Community Church of Warroad, Minnesota, told CP that one of the clergy at his church participated in Pulpit Freedom Sunday.
Unlike Fisher, Mehl’s church did experience legal backlash, with the IRS opening a case against the church over its involvement in the observance. However, they experienced no punishment for their actions.
“The pastor continued to speak his mind when it came to politics, and it didn’t change his truth-telling. In fact, it made him more bold,” recounted Mehl. “So, did we get in trouble taking part? Not trouble, per se, but [the] IRS did attempt an investigation and then shut it down.”
Mehl believed that the Johnson Amendment was “unconstitutional” and “detrimental to the conscience of the country as the church should be the one holding our moral compass pointing to Jesus, our Creator, and His ways.”
Mehl, who identifies as “an outspoken former homosexual set free by Jesus,” briefly described his history of political activism, including campaigning against Minnesota’s “conversion therapy ban” and denouncing the state’s pro-choice abortion laws.
“The Johnson Amendment being shot down is going to remove the excuse cowards in some church leadership have used to not speak about the issues of life and death that the churches are called to be the salt and light to,” he added.
