We (Americans, that is) often talk about religious freedom. The usual focus is on freedom of religion in the civil state, a particular freedom protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The nature and extent of that freedom are a matter of some debate but that's not my concern here.
Instead, I'm curious about the extent of political freedom in the Church. Threats to that freedom can come from two directions: The civil state may try limit the freedom of the Church or the Church may seek to instruct the political freedom of its members.
October 7 was declared to be "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" by the Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly the Alliance Defense Fund). Pulpit Freedom Sunday is designed to bring attention to the (probably) unconstitutional restrictions on ecclesiastical political advocacy mandated by the so-called "Johnson Amendment" to the Internal Revenue Code. (For details on the Johnson Amendment see an article by James D. Davidson here.) But as important as overweening state power is, that's not my concern here.
Ecclesiastical instruction with respect to political matters is certainly within the jurisdiction of the Church. The content of that instruction varies considerably among churches. This most recent political instruction at my church was twofold: avoid both demeaning insults and simplistic sloganeering. Not too exciting and hardly designed to push the envelop with the IRS but well taken in any event.
For a longer meditation on the same though see a post here reviewing Charles D. Drew's "Body Broken: Can Republicans and Democrats Sit in the Same Pew"
Instead, I'm curious about the extent of political freedom in the Church. Threats to that freedom can come from two directions: The civil state may try limit the freedom of the Church or the Church may seek to instruct the political freedom of its members.
October 7 was declared to be "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" by the Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly the Alliance Defense Fund). Pulpit Freedom Sunday is designed to bring attention to the (probably) unconstitutional restrictions on ecclesiastical political advocacy mandated by the so-called "Johnson Amendment" to the Internal Revenue Code. (For details on the Johnson Amendment see an article by James D. Davidson here.) But as important as overweening state power is, that's not my concern here.
Ecclesiastical instruction with respect to political matters is certainly within the jurisdiction of the Church. The content of that instruction varies considerably among churches. This most recent political instruction at my church was twofold: avoid both demeaning insults and simplistic sloganeering. Not too exciting and hardly designed to push the envelop with the IRS but well taken in any event.
For a longer meditation on the same though see a post here reviewing Charles D. Drew's "Body Broken: Can Republicans and Democrats Sit in the Same Pew"
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