Listen up, IRS: Leave pastors & their sermons alone
For 60-plus years, a law called the Johnson Amendment has barred churches and other non-profit organizations from endorsing political candidates or otherwise intervening in elections. It's time for that to change, most Protestant pastors say in a new survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research, sponsored by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
According to LifeWay Research, 91 percent of pastors agree that "pastors should have the right to speak freely from the pulpit without the fear of being penalized by the government." In addition, 73 percent agree that "Congress should remove the IRS's power to penalize a church because of the content of its pastor's sermons."
Using this information, ADF wrote congressional leaders on Monday to call for a fix to the Johnson Amendment.
pastor at pulpit
"For over 60 years, pastors have lived in fear and intimidation, they've felt censored out of concern that the IRS could burst through their church doors and penalize them or even revoke their tax-exempt status just because of something that their pastor has preached from the pulpit," says ADF attorney Christiana Holcomb.
"So this new LifeWay poll sends a message loud and clear that America's pastors overwhelmingly want the Johnson Amendment to be fixed."
Previous LifeWay Research surveys found little support – from either pastors or Americans in general – for political endorsements in the pulpit. Still, LifeWay Research says few Americans want churches punished if a pastor does make an endorsement. https://www.onenewsnow.com/church/2017/10/18/listen-up-irs-leave-pastors-their-sermons-alone
According to LifeWay Research, 91 percent of pastors agree that "pastors should have the right to speak freely from the pulpit without the fear of being penalized by the government." In addition, 73 percent agree that "Congress should remove the IRS's power to penalize a church because of the content of its pastor's sermons."
Using this information, ADF wrote congressional leaders on Monday to call for a fix to the Johnson Amendment.
pastor at pulpit
"For over 60 years, pastors have lived in fear and intimidation, they've felt censored out of concern that the IRS could burst through their church doors and penalize them or even revoke their tax-exempt status just because of something that their pastor has preached from the pulpit," says ADF attorney Christiana Holcomb.
"So this new LifeWay poll sends a message loud and clear that America's pastors overwhelmingly want the Johnson Amendment to be fixed."
Previous LifeWay Research surveys found little support – from either pastors or Americans in general – for political endorsements in the pulpit. Still, LifeWay Research says few Americans want churches punished if a pastor does make an endorsement. https://www.onenewsnow.com/church/2017/10/18/listen-up-irs-leave-pastors-their-sermons-alone
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