Politics in the pulpit

Local clergy take different approaches to educating their members about political issues.

BY JOE RODRIGUEZ

The Wichita Eagle

When it comes to politics and elections, places of worship -- as with any other tax-exempt organization -- walk a fine line.

While their leaders can speak out on issues or promote specific values as much as they want, they are prohibited from participating in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

While the law is unambiguous, local pastors and other religious leaders walk the line in different ways.

Some choose to be vocal about their political preferences. Others provide guidance about a campaign, without promoting candidates. And still others stick to issues and avoid the political thicket altogether.

Mark Holick of Spirit One Christian Center in south Wichita takes an in-your-face approach.

For the past several weeks, his church's marquee has addressed the abortion issue and made reference to two candidates, Kansas Attorney General candidate Paul Morrison and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

On one side, the sign reads: "Morrison accepts blood money from abortionist Tiller. How many babies??" The other side reads: "Abortionist Tiller has given $300,000 to Sebelius. Price of 1,000 babies!"

Holick sees no conflict with posting or making such statements and doesn't think they're violating laws about political endorsements.

"Obviously, we can't endorse anyone," he said. "But we can identify the positions of those running for political office on the issues."

"As Christians, we have a responsibility to elect godly and righteous men and women."

An IRS spokeswoman said she cannot speak about specific situations because of privacy laws.

Other members of the clergy provide resources for their members to make political decisions, though they refrain from singling out candidates.

At Sharon Baptist Church, the Rev. Bob Hartmann said, "We can't endorse someone, and we don't want to."

But that doesn't mean his church is quiet on issues, he said, nor does it mean they don't want members to be informed about candidates.

Last month, Hartmann said, an anti-abortion organization provided copies of The Wichita Eagle's Voter's Guide, which has information about candidates in most state races, to the church.

"That wasn't an endorsement of any candidate," Hartmann said, "but that was to help people understand that there are differences, and they need to be aware of the differences in the candidates."

Other clerics steer clear of endorsements or of providing political education.

The Rev. John Martin, pastor of College Hill United Methodist Church, said he doesn't see the need to present any political or candidate information from the pulpit.

"I'm quite comfortable that people in my congregation are able to make those decisions for themselves," he said.

The Rev. Ruth Bradshaw, pastor of Pilgrim Congregational Church in east Wichita, said she sees her role as helping her members, if they ask, better understand what the Bible and Jesus teach on issues.

She said she doesn't refer to candidates because of IRS laws and because she wants to be respectful of the variety of views that people have.

"I really believe each person can come to their own" conclusions about candidates, she said.

"Having said that, I believe God is involved in all of our lives, and how we vote is a faith issue. I just think each person has to work it out for themselves."

The Rev. Tom Harmon, pastor of Risen Savior Lutheran Church in northeast Wichita, says he speaks about what the Bible says on various issues, not what candidates say.

"I don't get into who says what," he said. "I just encourage people to educate themselves."

To educate its 406,000 members, the three Catholic dioceses and one archdiocese in Kansas have gone a step further to help Catholic voters across the state.

In August, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Bishop Ronald Gilmore of the Dodge City Diocese, Bishop Paul Coakley of the Salina Diocese, and Bishop Michael Jackels of the Wichita Diocese issued a set of guidelines titled "Moral Principles for Catholic Voters." It's available online at the Wichita Diocese's Web site, http://www.cdowk.org/.

It was sent by the Kansas Catholic Conference to all priests, who were asked to provide copies to their parishioners.

"We are not telling people what candidates to vote for," said Mike Farmer, executive director of the conference.

But "the church, I think, not only has a right, but an obligation" to provide voters assistance on what it believes, he said.

The guidelines address a variety of issues and connect specific Catholic moral teaching with the act of voting.

Under the heading, "Judgments concerning moral evils," the guidelines state: "A correct conscience recognizes that there are some choices that always involve doing evil and which can never be done even as a means to a good end.

"These choices include elective abortion, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, the destruction of embryonic human beings in stem cell research, human cloning, and same-sex 'marriage.' "

In closing, the guidelines remind Catholics that "Voting is a moral act."

"As Bishops, we are not telling Catholics which candidate they should vote for. Rather, we simply want to teach how we should form our consciences and consider the issues in light of these fundamental moral principles."