Statement from Amanda Tyler on members of Congress reaffirming their commitment to the Johnson Amendment

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Karlee Marshall | [email protected]

The following is a statement from BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler about a letter from several members of Congress who reaffirmed their commitment to the Johnson Amendment:

“Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty strongly supports the members of congress who reaffirmed their commitment to the Johnson Amendment, the federal law that protects houses of worship and other 501(c)(3) organizations from the corrosive effects of partisan campaigning. This long-standing provision safeguards both religious freedom and the integrity of the nonprofit sector by ensuring that tax-deductible charitable contributions are not diverted into political campaigns.

Efforts to weaken or reinterpret the law, whether through Congress, state legislatures, or the courts, threaten to inject money and division into sacred spaces. In 2017, when similar attempts were made, thousands of faith voices across traditions joined together to oppose the change, recognizing that partisan campaigning would distract from mission and deepen divisions within diverse communities. Eight years later, our convictions haven’t changed: faith communities should never be turned into political campaign arms.

We commend the members of Congress who have come out in a bipartisan manner and are again standing up to defend this vital protection for religious and nonprofit organizations. At a time when our society is so polarized by politics, preserving the nonpartisan character of our nation’s houses of worship remains essential to sustaining a healthy, pluralistic democracy.”