"Churches, Elections, and the IRS"

Triggered by the investigation of a southern California Episcopal congregation by the Internal Revenue Service, Pastor Mark Roberts looks whether and how the Church might "speak truth to power" without violating either its Biblical mandate or the tax code. As usual, Mark's series is excellent and I urge you to go over and read each installment of this unfolding series right now.

Frankly, I have always been wary of the tax-exempt status afforded churches. (Although since it's available under present law, congregations would be stupid not to take advantage of it.)

I also have a problem with congregations that get involved with partisan politics.

But congregations and pastors do have an obligation to consider the link between public policy, good stewardship of the Christian's voting franchise, and faith in Jesus Christ. Roberts admirably explores this cluster of issues.

My own take on the October 31, 2004 sermon preached at All Saints Episciopal Church in Pasadena is that hardly qualifies for designation as a sermon, but not because it dealt with politics. To me, a true Christian sermon must in some way:

• Convey the centrality of Christ's death and resurrection as the source of human hope
• Rightly differentiate between law (God's commands, which demonstrate our alienation from God) and gospel (the Good News that human beings are able to be reconciled with God through faith in Christ and His gift of Himself to us)
• Show people the path to reconciliation with God in the particular area being addressed

Whether the "sermon" in question violated tax law or not, I don't know. But that it failed to meet the above criteria and was little more than a set of "thou shalt nots" and "thou shalts" is, at least to me, obvious.

(By the way, every preacher gets off the track from time to time. One of the regrets commonly expressed by Billy Graham is that in his early career, he spoke too little of the law of God and too little of God's love.)

Biblical faith certainly has ethical implications. We are called by God to love God, love neighbor, and care for the gifts of God as sacred trusts. We seek to live with these our highest priorities, not to earn God's love, but in grateful response to it.

The sermon by the Rev. George F. Regas, which has triggered the IRS inquiry, seems a bit tilted toward the law, with little reference to Christ's cross and resurrection and the grace they bring.

Go read Mark's fantastic series.