Ken Herman: Politics in churches can test IRS rules,
Presidential politics went to church Sunday. Not just any church, but a 40,000-member gigachurch spread out on two campuses covering 267 North Texas acres.
And, for the most part, in biblical terms, it was good, though Prestonwood Baptist Church Pastor Jack Graham strayed precariously close to the politicking limits set on churches by the Internal Revenue Service.
The North Texas Presidential Forum, cosponsored by Prestonwood Baptist and the Faith and Freedom Coalition, was an opportunity for presidential candidates — all from both parties were invited — to speak live and via the Web to people of a certain faith.
It’s the kind of event that, by its nature, invites scrutiny. Back when this forum was announced, Pastor Jim Rigby of Austin’s St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church told Time Warner Cable News Austin, “To me, this is a type of bullying done in the name of God and I find it incredibly offensive.”
Graham said all candidates were invited “but we believe the right people are in the room today.” An endorsement of sorts? Maybe. And, in questioning Carly Fiorina, Graham spoke of folks “on the other side” on some issues.
The IRS bars tax-exempt churches from “participating in or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate.” Churches can engage in “certain voter education activities, including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides conducted in a nonpartisan manner.”
At times, through Graham’s comments, Prestonwood Baptist arguably violated that last part.
Each candidate (Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson and Rick Santorum) spoke for 10 minutes and then individually fielded Graham’s questions about the political and the spiritual.
Is this potentially tricky business in a nation that prays at the altar (awkward phrase, I know) of separation of church and state? Sure. But there’s nothing wrong with one’s faith guiding one’s politics. An important line does gets crossed when one person’s faith is inflicted on others, but it’s not always avoidable. There are folks on both sides of the abortion and marriage issues whose views are guided by their faith. Both sides can’t win.
If you really want to see way-out-of-bounds pulpit politics I’d suggest you tag along with a Democratic candidate making the African-American church rounds on the final Sundays prior to Election Day. I did that last year with then-gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis in Houston and Dallas. The pulpit endorsements, some more blatant than others, all during Sunday worship services, flowed freely.
Sunday’s presidential forum did not happen during a worship service. Graham insisted his church was “not overstepping our boundaries.” If he was correct, it was not by much.
All six candidates hold views probably acceptable to most of the folks in the pews on Sunday. And all were warmly received, with Cruz enjoying a home-state advantage.
Fiorina drew applause several times, including when she said “people of faith make better leaders” and called for “more prayer in public life, not less.”
“Without faith I do not know how anyone can lead and I certainly do not know how we can restore the character of this nation,” Fiorina said.
Cruz drew applause by saying “2016 is going to be a religious liberty election.”
And Cruz praised Graham for not being one of the “too many pastors who hide behind the pulpit” and don’t encourage their congregants to vote.
There’s nothing wrong with a pastor encouraging folks to vote. The IRS, however, says there is something wrong with pastors encouraging folks how to vote. The IRS is right. And, though this was not a church service, Sunday’s forum occurred in a massive structure that enjoys the financial advantages of tax exemption granted churches.