Bud Kennedy: Can churches take sides in politics? Supreme Court opening will put that to the test

Sep. 19--DENTON -- A Denton church has stopped distributing a list of candidates with the "strongest Biblical values," the first but undoubtedly not the last sign of ramped-up fall political campaigns.

The large and widely known Denton Bible Church announced on Facebook that it will no longer circulate a flyer labeled "Pray and Vote Your Faith" that singled out candidates and listed one Denton City Council candidate as "best so far."

A 1954 federal tax law meant to limit Dallas nonprofit foundations also prohibits churches and other 501(c)3 charities from endorsing or opposing any candidate.

Now's when that will get put to the test.

With early voting beginning Oct. 13 in a Nov. 3 election that includes federal, state and some local offices, and with a Supreme Court vacancy and a potential abortion rights case on the table, faith-and-values conservatives will double down to motivate languishing voters.

Basically, this week will begin a six-week revival leading up to Election Day.

"The Supreme Court situation changes everything," Laura R. Olson of Clemson University, a nationally known scholar on religion and politics, wrote by email.

"White evangelicals who might not be thrilled about [President Donald] Trump might now be reminded that elections have consequences."

Nationally, weekly rallies in swing states already have been promoting "Evangelicals for Trump" featuring one of Trump's sons, Eric, saying his father was "put here for a reason ... because of a higher deity and entity."

Until now, the conservative faith-and-values voters had been "more subdued," said SMU associate political science professor Matthew Wilson.

"Some of that is the pandemic -- religious congregations are either not meeting or meeting in more limited capacities, so many clergy are more focused on 'survival mode,' " he said.

Polls have shown a gender gap, with Trump and Republicans losing some white evangelical women.

"Evangelical men remain overwhelmingly pro-Trump, but some evangelical women are just too bothered by his abrasive personal style," Wilson said.

A Supreme Court confirmation hearing, depending on the nominee, might win back some of those voters.

But along the way, Republicans also have gained some Black and Latino evangelical men voters.

"A lot of that is driven by pro-life, pro-family, pro-religious liberty and pro-Israel policies," Wilson said.

The political campaign in churches is already well under way. An Austin church hosted a large "Faith, Family & Freedom Forum" this weekend focused on motivating values voters, plus a discussion on "Coronavirus vs. Freedom."

The Houston-based Texas Pastor Council has sent out specific instructions for pastors to preach election sermons and designate a "Community Impact Ministry" team to register voters.

In Denton, 43-year Denton Bible pastor Tommy Nelson will host a livestreamed "Vote by Faith" event Monday featuring state Republican chairman Allen West of Garland.

The homepage promotes it as an "urgent calling for Christians."

But the church also announced on Facebook it would stop circulating flyers listing "values" candidates in races from Trump's to Congress, local courts and five seats on the Denton City Council.

The flyers were first reported by the Denton Record-Chronicle.

"At the last minute on Sunday morning the decision was made to make that available at our voter's registration tables," the church announced on its Facebook page.

"After later review we have made the decision to not continue to circulate that document from the church. It's not a question of whether we agree or disagree with what was contained in that document. Rather, wisdom indicates that there are better and more effective ways to encourage Christians to faithfully represent their biblical convictions in the upcoming elections."

The church's post said the 1954 Johnson Amendment outlawing nonprofits' endorsements, meant to stop campaign spending by conservative Dallas oil billionaire H.L. Hunt's foundation, "is widely viewed by many legal scholars as unconstitutional."

Attorney Michael Berry of Plano-based Liberty Legal Institute, also scheduled to speak at the Monday rally, said he does not believe the flyer violates tax laws.

For one thing, the church's name is not on the flyer, he said.

"One interesting observation is that the flyer does not even 'endorse,' " Berry wrote by email. "It simply states that certain people show the strongest Biblical values."

The campaigns are about to go back to church.

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