The IRS said in a Monday court filing that a political endorsement ban on tax-exempt organizations should not apply to churches. Churches have always been free to endorse political candidates but the consequence of losing tax-exempt status was a perceived strong disincentive ensuring refrain. That as it may be and the first amendment aside, churches should realize politics and the pulpit don’t mix. Here’s why.
When a church endorses a political candidate, it risks trading its prophetic voice for a partisan one. It exchanges the timeless call and truth of the gospel for the fleeting slogans of a campaign. And ironically, by allowing churches to keep their tax-exempt status even while endorsing, the government may be setting them up for failure – baiting them into America’s toxic culture wars and quietly eroding their unifying role in communities.
This isn’t a theoretical concern. History has repeatedly shown what happens when the church becomes entangled with the state. Thomas Jefferson’s famous 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists – where he spoke of a “wall of separation between church and state” – wasn’t written to keep religion out of public life. It was written to reassure the Baptists that government would not interfere with their faith. They feared the rise of a state church, like the Anglican Church in England, that would wield government power to crush dissenting beliefs. Jefferson’s “wall” was a shield, not a sword.
Fast forward to 1954, when then-Senator Lyndon Johnson successfully pushed an amendment to the tax code banning tax-exempt organizations – including churches – from endorsing political candidates. Known as the Johnson Amendment, it wasn’t born of deep philosophical reflection about religion’s role in public life. Johnson was annoyed at nonprofit groups supporting his political opponents. But the rule had an unintended benefit: it discouraged churches from tethering themselves to the grubby, transactional world of electoral politics. A world grubbier today than yesterday.
In recent years, some politicians have called for repealing the Johnson Amendment, Donald Trump among them, framing it as a restoration of religious freedom. But is it really? Or is it an invitation for politicians to use churches as campaign machines? The Founders knew the dangers of such entanglements. Once faith is yoked to power, it ceases to be a moral check on power. Instead, it becomes a servant of it.
We’ve already seen hints of this. Congregations across America have fractured over political divides. Some evangelical churches, once known for their missionary zeal and community service, now find themselves accused of prioritizing party loyalty over Christ’s teachings. Catholic parishes have struggled with internal wars over communion being weaponized in political debates. These aren’t mere disagreements – they are divisions that hollow out the church’s ability to minister to all.
There’s a better way forward. By remaining politically neutral, churches preserve the freedom to speak truth to power – no matter who holds it. They can still address moral and social issues, equip their congregants to think deeply about public policy, and host forums where candidates of all stripes engage with the community. In an era when traditional media feels slanted and social media thrives on outrage, churches could offer a rare place for thoughtful, respectful dialogue – a true public square grounded in higher principles.
Separation of church and state is not about silencing the faithful. It’s about protecting the faith from being reduced to a political tool. The gospel isn’t Republican or Democrat. It isn’t about winning elections. It’s about transforming hearts and communities, restoring that which sin broke. Staying out of partisan politics isn’t weakness – it’s wisdom. It may be the only way to keep the church from becoming collateral damage in America’s never-ending political wars.