Pulpit Freedom Sunday is this coming Sunday.
Religious right groups want ministers to preach about politics on Sunday to the point telling their flocks who they commend for various political offices.
I hope this does not catch on.
It may be Constitutional, but it doesn’t seem good. Churches have a job to do that can be hindered by ministers exercising this right. I have been in churches where such a freedom would split a church. Congregants who think like the pastor of politics might feel empowered but those who don’t could feel intimidated in their own church family.
Ministers, think twice before you make politics more important than the flock. I Corinthians raises some valid teaching about offending others with your liberty. If refusing meat offered to idols was a consideration in the early church, it seems to me that refusal to use a right to speak your mind on politics would be in modern America.
28 thoughts on “Pulpit Freedom Sunday: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should”
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Maybe they will speak up about this political activity:
http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/7/29/pressure-mounts-iran-acquit-christian-pastor/
here is the most recent political/religious decision authorizing execution:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/278400/iran-execution-apostasy-seems-imminent-nina-shea
Patrocles
What a peculiar logon but whaves…
The broad-minded owe nothing to the narrow bigots you extol. The narrow-minded need to open window and look at the real world.
Jesus said to Saint Peter (and through him to all the Church’s pastors), “Feed my sheep.”
He did not say “Tell my sheep how to vote.”
Warren’s comparison between politics in modern democracy and the worship of idols is at least interesting and not without merit (take “Obamamania” as an example).
But I suppose that the point in Corinthians was that conscience is a tricky phenomenon. There will always be a gliding difference between the more broad-minded (or lax) and the more narrow-minded (or rigid), and the more broad-minded have to consider the feelings of the more narrow-minded (not the other way round).
Small personal experience. I took my parents to their Evangelical church about a month or so ago. It was right around the time of the Iowa Caucauses. Their regular Pastor was on vacation so a retired Pastor preached. And boy did he preach. Practically his entire sermon was political although he was careful not to name naes or parties. He preached about how it was un-christian to tax people unfairly to expand government. He preached about how the congregation should all go out and vote for candidates who shared their Christian Values. This guy was obviously a Tea Partier and he preached it right from the pulpit. I had never heard preaching like that before.
It is odd ,although my parents, well into their 80’s now, are close members of this church (mainly I think because of tradition, and they know all the words to the service and hymns by heart) my parents to not go along with every tennent of this Evangelical Faith. They do not believe homosexulity is wrong nor a sin, they are politically liberal, they believe women should be Pastors etc.
It was a very uncomfortable sermon I sat through in a small rural Evangelical Church. I really wish churches would stay out of politicis and particularly the Civil Rights of sexual minorities.
That would be something worth talking about, David, as it concerns the most fundamental of universal values as understood by both our cultures and by international organizations such as the UN.
In a sense, ‘politics in church’ is unavoidable, because just about anything one might say about ‘how the world should be’ has political implications. What should be avoided where possible is ‘party politics’ (either obvious or disguised).
A friend of mine attends an predominantly African-American fundamentalist church, and he remembers well being told very clearly not to vote for the Democratic ticket in 2008. No prizes for guessing the issue that was cited !!!
Just seen this on a protest sign (and have succumbed to the temptation to post it):
“Obama is not a brown-skinned, anti-war socialist who gives away free healthcare. You’re thinking of Jesus.”
Thought I might pre-empt any right-wing ‘farmyard noises’ from tomorrow’s pulpits! (I am unashamedly applying jesuitical sophistry when I justify my naughtiness by pointing out that this a blog, not a pulpit.)
Do you think they are about to declare the First Amendment (with a suitable appended commentary, so that it is made clear that ‘undesirables’ are excluded from its provisions) to be the 67th/74th/79th (depending on whom one talks to) Book of the Bible?!
Well I thought I would take time out of my busy Saturday to see what fellow Christians are up to now .. Oh boy .. its yet another “Christianity under attack” claim by certain far right and not so far right groups. (sob .. sniffle) A quick check of the IRS code revealed that its not just Christianity thats under attack .. 501(c)(3) groups include: Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Testing for Public Safety, to Foster National or International Amateur Sports Competition, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals Organizations. What’s an animal rights activist to do? (not that I am one).
For those of you interested in what the IRS code actually says you can click on this link. (More information is also available here) . In short .. a 501(c)(3) organization (one type of which is a church) cannot use their tax exempt status as an umbrella to hide under to support a particular political candidate. However, the organization can speak its values or morals on issues. Additionally, leaders of said organizations can endorse a particular candidate as long as they do not do so in official capacity speaking for the 501(c)(3) organization. Specific examples of this are in the links I provided to the IRS website.
What’s rather comical about all of this is that at least one of the organizations promoting this allegedly rebellious event, the Alliance Defense Fund, has some guidelines on this as follows in this brief excerpt.. (see link for full text)
ADF excerpt:
The comical irony is that these very bullet points of instruction from the ADF document actually do summarize the IRS code. So ………. whats the threat against free speech again??? …It seems we have yet another example of Christians boo hooing and acting like victims over govt hoops that everyone must jump through .. not just Christians. These (false) claims are very tiring at times. I sometimes wonder what possesses American Christianity that we walk around making “victims” of ourselves when we are not victims.
Dave
In a sense, ‘politics in church’ is unavoidable, because just about anything one might say about ‘how the world should be’ has political implications. What should be avoided where possible is ‘party politics’ (either obvious or disguised).
A friend of mine attends an predominantly African-American fundamentalist church, and he remembers well being told very clearly not to vote for the Democratic ticket in 2008. No prizes for guessing the issue that was cited !!!
Small personal experience. I took my parents to their Evangelical church about a month or so ago. It was right around the time of the Iowa Caucauses. Their regular Pastor was on vacation so a retired Pastor preached. And boy did he preach. Practically his entire sermon was political although he was careful not to name naes or parties. He preached about how it was un-christian to tax people unfairly to expand government. He preached about how the congregation should all go out and vote for candidates who shared their Christian Values. This guy was obviously a Tea Partier and he preached it right from the pulpit. I had never heard preaching like that before.
It is odd ,although my parents, well into their 80’s now, are close members of this church (mainly I think because of tradition, and they know all the words to the service and hymns by heart) my parents to not go along with every tennent of this Evangelical Faith. They do not believe homosexulity is wrong nor a sin, they are politically liberal, they believe women should be Pastors etc.
It was a very uncomfortable sermon I sat through in a small rural Evangelical Church. I really wish churches would stay out of politicis and particularly the Civil Rights of sexual minorities.
Just seen this on a protest sign (and have succumbed to the temptation to post it):
“Obama is not a brown-skinned, anti-war socialist who gives away free healthcare. You’re thinking of Jesus.”
Thought I might pre-empt any right-wing ‘farmyard noises’ from tomorrow’s pulpits! (I am unashamedly applying jesuitical sophistry when I justify my naughtiness by pointing out that this a blog, not a pulpit.)
Do you think they are about to declare the First Amendment (with a suitable appended commentary, so that it is made clear that ‘undesirables’ are excluded from its provisions) to be the 67th/74th/79th (depending on whom one talks to) Book of the Bible?!
Well I thought I would take time out of my busy Saturday to see what fellow Christians are up to now .. Oh boy .. its yet another “Christianity under attack” claim by certain far right and not so far right groups. (sob .. sniffle) A quick check of the IRS code revealed that its not just Christianity thats under attack .. 501(c)(3) groups include: Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Testing for Public Safety, to Foster National or International Amateur Sports Competition, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals Organizations. What’s an animal rights activist to do? (not that I am one).
For those of you interested in what the IRS code actually says you can click on this link. (More information is also available here) . In short .. a 501(c)(3) organization (one type of which is a church) cannot use their tax exempt status as an umbrella to hide under to support a particular political candidate. However, the organization can speak its values or morals on issues. Additionally, leaders of said organizations can endorse a particular candidate as long as they do not do so in official capacity speaking for the 501(c)(3) organization. Specific examples of this are in the links I provided to the IRS website.
What’s rather comical about all of this is that at least one of the organizations promoting this allegedly rebellious event, the Alliance Defense Fund, has some guidelines on this as follows in this brief excerpt.. (see link for full text)
ADF excerpt:
The comical irony is that these very bullet points of instruction from the ADF document actually do summarize the IRS code. So ………. whats the threat against free speech again??? …It seems we have yet another example of Christians boo hooing and acting like victims over govt hoops that everyone must jump through .. not just Christians. These (false) claims are very tiring at times. I sometimes wonder what possesses American Christianity that we walk around making “victims” of ourselves when we are not victims.
Dave
Well I thought I would take time out of my busy Saturday to see what fellow Christians are up to now .. Oh boy .. its yet another “Christianity under attack” claim by certain far right and not so far right groups. (sob .. sniffle) A quick check of the IRS code revealed that its not just Christianity thats under attack .. 501(c)(3) groups include: Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Testing for Public Safety, to Foster National or International Amateur Sports Competition, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals Organizations. What’s an animal rights activist to do? (not that I am one).
For those of you interested in what the IRS code actually says you can click on this link. (More information is also available here) . In short .. a 501(c)(3) organization (one type of which is a church) cannot use their tax exempt status as an umbrella to hide under to support a particular political candidate. However, the organization can speak its values or morals on issues. Additionally, leaders of said organizations can endorse a particular candidate as long as they do not do so in official capacity speaking for the 501(c)(3) organization. Specific examples of this are in the links I provided to the IRS website.
What’s rather comical about all of this is that at least one of the organizations promoting this allegedly rebellious event, the Alliance Defense Fund, has some guidelines on this as follows in this brief excerpt.. (see link for full text)
ADF excerpt:
The comical irony is that these very bullet points of instruction from the ADF document actually do summarize the IRS code. So ………. whats the threat against free speech again??? …It seems we have yet another example of Christians boo hooing and acting like victims over govt hoops that everyone must jump through .. not just Christians. These (false) claims are very tiring at times. I sometimes wonder what possesses American Christianity that we walk around making “victims” of ourselves when we are not victims.
Dave
Well I thought I would take time out of my busy Saturday to see what fellow Christians are up to now .. Oh boy .. its yet another “Christianity under attack” claim by certain far right and not so far right groups. (sob .. sniffle) A quick check of the IRS code revealed that its not just Christianity thats under attack .. 501(c)(3) groups include: Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Testing for Public Safety, to Foster National or International Amateur Sports Competition, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals Organizations. What’s an animal rights activist to do? (not that I am one).
For those of you interested in what the IRS code actually says you can click on this link. (More information is also available here) . In short .. a 501(c)(3) organization (one type of which is a church) cannot use their tax exempt status as an umbrella to hide under to support a particular political candidate. However, the organization can speak its values or morals on issues. Additionally, leaders of said organizations can endorse a particular candidate as long as they do not do so in official capacity speaking for the 501(c)(3) organization. Specific examples of this are in the links I provided to the IRS website.
What’s rather comical about all of this is that at least one of the organizations promoting this allegedly rebellious event, the Alliance Defense Fund, has some guidelines on this as follows in this brief excerpt.. (see link for full text)
ADF excerpt:
The comical irony is that these very bullet points of instruction from the ADF document actually do summarize the IRS code. So ………. whats the threat against free speech again??? …It seems we have yet another example of Christians boo hooing and acting like victims over govt hoops that everyone must jump through .. not just Christians. These (false) claims are very tiring at times. I sometimes wonder what possesses American Christianity that we walk around making “victims” of ourselves when we are not victims.
Dave
Patrocles
What a peculiar logon but whaves…
The broad-minded owe nothing to the narrow bigots you extol. The narrow-minded need to open window and look at the real world.
Warren’s comparison between politics in modern democracy and the worship of idols is at least interesting and not without merit (take “Obamamania” as an example).
But I suppose that the point in Corinthians was that conscience is a tricky phenomenon. There will always be a gliding difference between the more broad-minded (or lax) and the more narrow-minded (or rigid), and the more broad-minded have to consider the feelings of the more narrow-minded (not the other way round).
That would be something worth talking about, David, as it concerns the most fundamental of universal values as understood by both our cultures and by international organizations such as the UN.
Maybe they will speak up about this political activity:
http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/7/29/pressure-mounts-iran-acquit-christian-pastor/
here is the most recent political/religious decision authorizing execution:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/278400/iran-execution-apostasy-seems-imminent-nina-shea
Talking or preaching poltics from the pulpit is always a very thin line to cross. Certainly in Europe during the Nazi days there were many who did not speak out against the regime either because they favored it or were afraid of it. When Dutch Catholic bishops condemned Nazisim from the pulpits in Holland Nazi retribution was swift and deadly. In todays’s USA we have mostly ultra right preachers like Houston, Texas, Baptist John Hagee and others like him who often preach venomous political and social sermons from theirs bully pulpits that are both scandalous and reprehensive in their content. Christian preachers should stick to the gospels and avoid preaching partisan politics but sometimes such becomes judgement calls especially in times of national crises.
Talking or preaching poltics from the pulpit is always a very thin line to cross. Certainly in Europe during the Nazi days there were many who did not speak out against the regime either because they favored it or were afraid of it. When Dutch Catholic bishops condemned Nazisim from the pulpits in Holland Nazi retribution was swift and deadly. In todays’s USA we have mostly ultra right preachers like Houston, Texas, Baptist John Hagee and others like him who often preach venomous political and social sermons from theirs bully pulpits that are both scandalous and reprehensive in their content. Christian preachers should stick to the gospels and avoid preaching partisan politics but sometimes such becomes judgement calls especially in times of national crises.
By the way, the British press is reporting Donald Rumsfeld as saying that ‘christian extremists’ are as dangerous as ‘islamic’ ones. Interesting …
Jesus said to Saint Peter (and through him to all the Church’s pastors), “Feed my sheep.”
He did not say “Tell my sheep how to vote.”
By the way, the British press is reporting Donald Rumsfeld as saying that ‘christian extremists’ are as dangerous as ‘islamic’ ones. Interesting …
“It may be Constitutional, but it doesn’t seem good.”
Actually, it isn’t a constitutional issue either (w/ respect to freedom of religion). Pastors are free to say whatever they want from the pulpit. However, if they want their tax-exempt status, they have to abide by the same rules as any other 501( c ) (tax-exempt) organization. Just because they are a religious organization doesn’t give them a free pass.
Now, this is the 1st I’ve heard of the 2009 initiative. However, this group may find that the attention it is trying to draw to itself to challenge the law, may backfire on them. If they get a large turnout of pastors doing endorsing candidate, they could get the challenge they want. And there are a lot of organizations (both religious and non) that may push the IRS to enforce the penalties and/or revoke the various churches tax exempt status.
And these pastors should consider the current national dept debate. Offering themselves up as a new tax revenue stream in this climate may not be a very smart idea.
“It may be Constitutional, but it doesn’t seem good.”
Actually, it isn’t a constitutional issue either (w/ respect to freedom of religion). Pastors are free to say whatever they want from the pulpit. However, if they want their tax-exempt status, they have to abide by the same rules as any other 501( c ) (tax-exempt) organization. Just because they are a religious organization doesn’t give them a free pass.
Now, this is the 1st I’ve heard of the 2009 initiative. However, this group may find that the attention it is trying to draw to itself to challenge the law, may backfire on them. If they get a large turnout of pastors doing endorsing candidate, they could get the challenge they want. And there are a lot of organizations (both religious and non) that may push the IRS to enforce the penalties and/or revoke the various churches tax exempt status.
And these pastors should consider the current national dept debate. Offering themselves up as a new tax revenue stream in this climate may not be a very smart idea.