As Americans focus on the November election and the rules governing religious expression in public life, a document explaining the laws regarding religious expression in America is being re-released.
“Religious Expression in American Public Life: A Joint Statement of Current Law” is the product of collaboration among national religious leaders of different faiths and civil liberties leaders. Baptist Joint Committee Executive Director Brent Walker and General Counsel Holly Hollman were among the drafters of the 32 page question-and-answer document. The Center for Religion and Public Affairs at Wake Forest University School of Divinity coordinated the project.
“As the campaign cycle moves toward November elections, the statement provides helpful guidance for tax-exempt organizations about the IRS rules that apply to their political activities,” said Melissa Rogers, director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs, according to a Wake Forest University news release. “Our purpose in providing this statement is to increase understanding of current law regarding religious expression in American public life,” Rogers said. “While the drafters of this document may disagree about how the legal line should be drawn between church and state, we have been able to come together and agree in many cases on what the law is today.”
The statement can be downloaded as a pdf document from the Baptist Joint Committee website (BJConline.org/currentlaw) or from the website of the Wake Forest University School of Divinity Center for Religion and Public Affairs (http://divinity.wfu.edu/religion-and-public-affairs/joint-statement/). To download a free iPad version of the document or to order a printed version for a small fee, visit HP’s MagCloud at http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/352564.
From the July/August 2012 Report from the Capital. Click here for the next article.
