What Pulpit Freedom?
The Gray Lady weighs in on Pulpit Freedom Sunday and, surprise of surprises, takes the dimmest of views. But while the editorial makes a couple of important points, it includes this odd statement: “The tax code mandate they are challenging has protected the separation of church and state by denying tax deductions for contributions to charitable organizations that engage in secular campaigning.” But the mandate is not really about separation of church and state, and it does not prevent religious institutions from engaging in “secular” campaigning–if that means, say, advocating passage of this or that piece of legislation. Rather, it says that any tax-exempt (501 c 3) organization, secular or religious, cannot engage in partisan political activity–activity on behalf of a particular party or candidate for office. The principle at stake is what might be called the separation of non-profits and political partisanship. As for the Alliance Defense Fund, it backs its position with the follow
