Church in the World

Democrats hand out tax warning to Churches

United States

Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic Party, has offered a warning to Churches, apparently implying that their tax status may be at risk unless they avoid political discussion as the mid-term elections approach. Speaking to the Christian Science Monitor, Mr Dean said ?The religious community has to decide whether they want to be tax-exempt or involved in politics.?

His remark has caused consternation with religious groups, notably Fidelis, the influential Catholic lobby, whose president complained that Mr Dean ?wants to muzzle America?s Churches and religious groups from professing what they believe, threatening the historical and treasured role of Churches in American public life [such as] mobilising people of faith to join the civil rights marches?.

Mr Dean is, by US standards, a secular politician. As a child he lapsed from the Episcopalianism of the moneyed north-east, adopting nominal Congregationalism when he first ran for office. His 2004 campaign for the presidency failed partly because of his refusal to court religious groups. And although some denominations, notably Catholics, take up left-wing positions on aspects of public policy, far greater political energy is generated by conservative Christians. The Left therefore promotes a strict ?wall? between religion and politics, and is increasingly looking to tax penalties as a way of enforcing it. At the moment, tax is a weapon in the hands of the Right the Inland Revenue Service is investigating a liberal Episcopalian parish in California over a sermon during the presidential election campaign, but has declined an attempt by left-wing clerics to denounce certain conservative megachurches.

Sixteen Catholic bishops, including the cardinal-archbishops of Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Washington and Chicago, have signed a petition of 50 religious leaders for the proposed amendment to the constitution that would outlaw same-sex marriage. Until now US Protestants have taken the lead in campaigning against same-sex marriage, but Catholics are becoming increasingly vocal. The petition, organised by Catholic Professor Robert George of Princeton, has been signed by Southern Baptists, Missouri Synod Lutherans, evangelicals and the Orthodox Church, but it is extremely unusual in attracting such figures as Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, who is on the left of the US Bishops? Conference.