Legal Commentary

Mixing Religion and Politics Can Bring the IRS Knocking

By Jeralyn

Cleveland's United Church of Christ is under investigation by the I.R.S. and could lose its tax exempt status because of a speech Barack Obama gave there last year.

But the stakes in mixing religion and politics can be steep for religious institutions, which risk their tax-exempt status if they become too partisan.

Ask the United Church of Christ. The Internal Revenue Service is investigating whether the Cleveland-based UCC engaged in political activity by sponsoring a 2007 speech by Obama on faith and politics.

Tax-exempt organizations like churches cannot participate in campaigns. [More...]

First, some background on the United Church of Christ investigation:

The United Church of Christ made it clear that Obama was not making a political speech at its General Synod in Hartford, Conn., last June.

Then Obama got up to speak and received a standing ovation when he said, "I have made a solemn pledge that I will sign a universal health-care bill into law by the end of my first term as president."

Now the IRS is investigating whether the Cleveland-based church took part in political activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status. It is an uncomfortable position for a church from the "mainline" Protestant tradition that includes United Methodists, Episcopalians and many Lutherans and Presbyterians. The declining but still-strong tradition includes many members who are civic and financial leaders in the region.

The churches are not monolithic in how they approach political campaigns.

On one end of the spectrum are those religious leaders who believe that the law prohibits any partisan politics in religious institutions and that even voter guides that can be interpreted as supporting one candidate over another are not permitted.

Other religious leaders believe they should take a "prophetic" role by supporting a candidate and opening their churches to rallies and meetings.

It's an interesting article that is about far more than the one investigation. It covers the participation of a variety of religious groups in recent political campaigns in Northeastern Ohio.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 16, 2008 (boomark / email).