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Why churches shouldn't endorse political candidates

The GOP tax bill could create an exception that opens the door for partisanship

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Churches are not partisan institutions. In this photo: South Main Baptist Church in Midtown.
Churches are not partisan institutions. In this photo: South Main Baptist Church in Midtown.Jim Parsons

From Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria to wildfires raging in at least six western states, the resources of our churches and community nonprofits have been stretched thin across the country. While Rep. Kevin Brady and others in the Texas delegation have done much to support our immediate recovery effort, the current tax bill threatens our long-term vitality by creating an exception in the tax code that could turn churches, and the entire charitable sector, into conduits for partisan campaigning.

The so-called "Johnson Amendment" has worked more for than 60 years to ensure that our charitable sector remains nonpartisan, allowing churches and other organizations to focus on their missions to improve the common good.

It's been especially helpful for churches, including ours, as we have sought to live out the Gospel among our neighbors.

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Every Sunday, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Paul's Methodist and South Main Baptist Church — like all houses of worship — are filled with beautifully diverse friends from near and far. Our congregations each contain Republicans, Democrats and Independents. We gather together, not because of a political affiliation or ideology, but because of our desire to know and serve God better. Nothing about endorsing a candidate will help any of our communities of faith know or serve God better.

In our more than 50 years of pastoring churches, we have never shied away from preaching about controversial issues. Nor has the inability of our churches to endorse a candidate prevented any of us in any way from testifying before the city council, writing op-eds or raising our voices in other ways on social issues. Giving our congregations a theological lens through which to view the issues of the day does not require coming anywhere close to the church endorsing a candidate for political office.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX).
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX).Chip Somodevilla/Staff

Churches are political because the gospel, including the command to love our neighbors as ourselves, is political. Churches, however, are not partisan institutions. Mixing churches and partisanship is a bit like mixing ice cream and manure: No one ever thinks less of the manure.

Ushering partisan divisiveness into our pews raises unique questions for pastors. Instead of preaching the Gospel, will we be expected to preach the virtues of specific candidates several times a year? If two members of the congregation are running for the same office, will the member not endorsed by the church still want the pastor to visit her in the hospital?

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Will our churches be tempted to idolatry by reorienting our beliefs around political parties or influential candidates instead of gospel priorities? Will the church budget now include line items for creating campaign material to include with our advertisements for youth camp, the men's retreat, women's Bible study or a mission trip? Will people seeking a church home ask first "which political party does this church serve?" or "how does this church serve God's kingdom purpose in the world?"

Summer 2017 will be remembered for how we responded to natural disasters across the country. Fall 2017 will be remembered for who we stood up for in the debate over the tax bill.

Our federal elected officials should heed the call from more than 4,200 faith leaders, more than 5,500 nonprofit organizations and more than 100 national and state denominational and religious organizations who are asking to keep the "Johnson Amendment" protections in place. No one who cares about the health and vitality of our religious communities wants to see them turned into partisan soapboxes.

The Very Reverend Barkley Thompson is Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, The Reverend Tommy Williams is Senior Pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist Church and The Reverend Doctor Steve Wells is Pastor of South Main Baptist Church, Houston.

Bookmark Gray Matters. No one ever thinks less of it.

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