Freepreach.org - Protecting the Free Expression of All Religious Traditions
Don't exercise your rights
Roman P. Storzer
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released its guide for religious organizations and political activity, titled Politics and the Pulpit: 2004. Reflecting a relatively conservative approach to the issue, the guide recommends that
Clergy may not support candidates “during worship services” (page 7).
Clergy may not include “editorial comment” about political campaigns (page 9).
It also seems to accept the Internal Revenue Service’s overbroad characterization of the Branch Ministries v. Rossotti case, that it “upheld the constitutionality of the political activity prohibition as applied to a church,” without discussing how it may (and should) be limited to its facts.
The guide was written by Deirdre Dessingue, Associate General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has published its own Political Activity Guidelines for Catholic Organizations.