Today's Tennessean reports that 7 ministers across the state plan to flaunt the IRS prohibition against electioneering from the pulpit, in response to ADF's search for potential plaintiffs as part of its Pulpit Sunday plan. These pastors, of course, risk their church's tax exempt standing, but even more importantly risk their prophetic voice and the harmony within the congregation.
Notably, even Southern Baptist Richard Land sees this as a bad idea.
Bringing politics into the mix risks alienating members of the congregation with different political views. Even though the vast majority of Southern Baptists — the nation's largest evangelical denomination — are voting Republican these days, Land said, "I'm supposed to minister to everyone."
And that includes Democrats in the pews.
