The IRS has issued a new ruling in response to a court case. Churches are now free to endorse political candidates.
This change corrects a longstanding injustice. For nearly 75 years, since the passage of the Johnson Amendment, this was considered to be illegal.
This was unjust because left wing churches and synagogues– especially black churches– did all they could to help certain political candidates. Hardly anything was ever done about it because a “wink/ nod” status quo prevailed. More conservative churches knew they had to refrain or they would be made to pay an awful price.
I know that many biblically orthodox/ conservative congregations will collectively wring their hands and find reasons not to engage politically. It is certainly understood further that many of the candidates in the Republican Party are not terribly worthy of endorsement.
However, this is a ripe opportunity, and biblically faithful churches ought to find ways to seize it, with applied wisdom, in recognition of the fact that the left will do so with relish. If we do not, we risk continuing to slouch toward an environment that is barely recognizable. We also risk losing our religious liberty.
This rights a wrong. Most of all black churches have endorsed candidates for public office for many decades.
I hope conservative pastors do the right thing, Fred. They would have to reverse many decades of conditioning and programming not to do so.