“Tax Exemption for Churches”
The American Center for Law & Justice offers a resource page on churches’ tax-exempt status. ACLJ has frequently argued in court for the right of churches to engage in politics.
Tag: free speech
“Politics and the Pulpit 2008”
See a resource from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life on political endorsements by religious groups.
“Project Fair Play: FAQ”
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has this FAQ on electioneering by houses of worship.
“Legal Dos and Don’ts”
Read “Legal Dos and Don’ts” for churches and pastors, posted by iVoteValues.com, a website of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
“Tax exemptions”
Read the First Amendment Center’s backgrounder on tax exemptions for religious groups, including FAQ and relevant court cases.
“Pulpit politics: Pastors endorse candidates, thumbing noses at the IRS”
Read a Nov. 4, 2012, NBCNews.com article that found that 1,600 pastors across the U.S. violated the long-standing ban on political endorsement by churches in October of 2012.
“Obama rallies union members”
Read a Jan. 14, 2008, Las Vegas Review-Journal article about a pastor’s backing of Obama during a worship service at the Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ. The comments prompted Americans United for Separation of Church and State to request an IRS investigation of the church.
“Houston Megachurch Pastor Roots for Obama”
Read a Jan. 20, 2008, Associated Press story about Houston megachurch pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell’s endorsement of Obama. The story appeared in the Houston Chronicle.
“Pastor’s endorsement of candidate probed”
Read a Feb. 14, 2008, Los Angeles Times story about the IRS examining a California clergyman’s use of church letterhead to endorse Huckabee. According to the article, when it became public that Americans United for Separation of Church and State was asking the IRS to investigate, the pastor, Wiley S. Drake, encouraged supporters to pray […]