Let me be clear: I am a woman of deep faith. I believe in the power of prayer, the importance of community and the need for spiritual guidance in uncertain times. But what I do not believe in — and what our Founders warned against — is the politicization of the pulpit.
The Internal Revenue Service is reportedly preparing to allow churches and faith-based organizations to openly endorse political candidates without penalty. If this becomes official policy, it will be one of the most dangerous erosions of the separation between church and state in modern American history.
Since 1954, the Johnson Amendment has prohibited tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates. It was never about silencing faith — it was about preserving the sanctity of it. Our system of government functions best when religion is protected from political manipulation and when politics is shielded from religious extremism.
To tear down this important firewall now — when we are more divided, more distrustful and more politically tribal than ever — is a recipe for national disaster.
In recent years, several high-profile churches — particularly megachurches with conservative political leanings — have openly defied the Johnson Amendment. From endorsing specific candidates from the pulpit to organizing get-out-the-vote efforts
And what has the IRS done in response? Practically nothing.
IRS caves to political pressure in its move to change the rules
A recent report revealed the IRS has quietly changed its internal enforcement manual, requiring multiple layers of approval before any investigation of a church can proceed. This bureaucratic bottleneck has effectively stalled enforcement. As a result, faith leaders now openly boast about endorsing candidates without fear of penalty. The message is clear: There will be no consequences.
Credit: handout
Credit: handout
Let’s be honest about what this means. When pastors become political operatives, and churches become de facto campaign headquarters, democracy suffers. The pulpit should be a place of spiritual nourishment and moral guidance — not a political platform.
One of the biggest dangers we face in America right now is our tribalism, especially around issues of faith and ethnicity. Whether it be accusations of deep seated sexism and racism in the Southern Baptist Church, or antisemitism running rampant on our college campuses, or evangelicals aligning themselves with Trumpism over their faith, we seemingly have allowed politics and the ways of the world to influence the church writ large. As opposed to what we as Christians and faith leaders should be doing: influencing the world. Being light bearers. Being change agents for good. Feeding the poor. Clothing the naked. And sewing peace between all mankind.
So what will happen when we allow churches to be tax-exempt and yet engage in an activity that is overtly political?
The Supreme Court has long upheld the government’s right to impose conditions on tax-exempt status. In Regan v. Taxation with Representation of Washington (1983), the court ruled the government can decline to subsidize political speech without violating the First Amendment. In other words, churches are free to be as political as they wish — but not on the taxpayer’s dime.
And yet today, the IRS is abdicating that responsibility. Why?
The answer lies in politics. For years, certain political actors have pushed to repeal the Johnson Amendment entirely, arguing it infringes on religious liberty. That argument is misleading. Religious leaders retain every right to speak out on moral issues, policy debates and civic concerns. What they cannot do — without forfeiting their tax-exempt status — is tell congregants how to vote or campaign for candidates. That’s not oppression. That’s accountability.
This shift comes at a time when America is already grappling with rising Christian nationalism, declining trust in democratic institutions and growing polarization. Allowing churches to operate as unregulated political actors only throws gasoline on the fire.
Credit: Jim Galloway
Credit: Jim Galloway
New policy may divide congregations
Imagine, for a moment, a Muslim imam or a Jewish rabbi openly endorsing a Democratic candidate and using mosque or synagogue funds to run political ads. How would the public react? Would the IRS remain silent? Or is this new laxity reserved only for one segment of the religious right?
This is not a partisan concern; it’s a constitutional one. If we care about preserving a pluralistic democracy, we must defend the boundaries that keep our civic institutions separate from our religious ones. That doesn’t mean silencing people of faith. It means holding institutions accountable to the same laws as everyone else.
What happens when a pastor endorses a candidate from the pulpit and half the congregation walks out? What happens when spiritual leaders become campaign surrogates? What happens when God’s house becomes just another stop on a political tour?
The consequences are not hypothetical. We will see churches fracture. Congregants will feel pressured to conform politically to maintain community. Donations intended for ministry could flow into partisan causes. And, in time, faith itself will be viewed not as sacred, but as just another lever of political power.
This isn’t just bad policy. It’s bad theology.
Jesus didn’t come to crown Caesar; He came to call us to a higher kingdom. His gospel wasn’t left or right — it was radical love, service to others and justice for the oppressed. When we entangle that message with party platforms, we dilute its power and betray its purpose.
From Black churches to white evangelical congregations, from synagogues to mosques, faith institutions are the moral heart of many communities. Their influence is immense — and that’s exactly why they should be protected from being weaponized for political gain.
Allowing partisan endorsements opens the floodgates for dark money, campaign manipulation and IRS abuse. Will churches that endorse a ruling party be favored over those that don’t? Will dissenting pastors face retribution? These are not far-fetched concerns. They are warnings written into our history.
We’ve seen what happens in countries where political parties co-opt religious institutions. It never ends well — for democracy or for religion.
In a moment like this, people of faith must rise. Not to support a candidate, but to protect the purity of the pulpit. We must say: “Not in my church. Not in God’s name.”
To members of Congress, I say: Defend the Johnson Amendment. To fellow believers, I say: Hold your leaders accountable. And to the IRS: This is a line that must not be crossed.
Churches are not campaign headquarters. Pastors are not political operatives. And faith is not a partisan tool.
It’s time to say so — before it’s too late.
Sophia A. Nelson is an award-winning nonfiction author of four books, including “E Pluribus One: Reclaiming our Founders’ Vision for a United America.” She is an award-winning journalist for her work in Essence magazine. She is a renowned global women’s conference speaker and corporate DEI trainer. She is a regular contributor to the AJC.
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