Comment to Intercessors for America (IFA) in On Watch in Washington (OWIW) concerning blog on Oct 13th ‘Talking Politics in the Church ( ifapray.org blog: Talking Politics in the Church )
I thank Mr. Kubal for some clarification of the current reason people think pastors aren't allowed to speak politics in church. I actually agree with that 1950s rule of Senator Lyndon Johnson, but for entirely different reasons; and I don’t think the government needs to legislate it. The government has no need to interfere with the free operation of religious institutions; of course taxes are not the only issue; free speech is far more important.
The pulpit, however, of the Lord Jesus Christ is His pulpit; it doesn't belong to any political party. I was taught in church and in Bible College that preachers don't expound any political view from the pulpit, and that would mean in much of his speech and writing also. In the pulpit they are to be neutral, period.
I am quite amazed that every election year this is violated, and we see TV clips of political candidates, all stripes, standing in pulpits; to the shame of the preacher who lets them! By allowing this the preacher has endorsed the candidate; he's telling his people how to vote! And what is worse, many of the candidates have no intention of really preaching the gospel; they're only there to be seen in public. Most aren't even believing Christians! How could they explain the grace of God? Are they there to correctly divide the truth of the Bible?
Whether the current US law accepts or not for preachers to give their political view is not the real issue. I am very happy that Mr. Witherspoon of NJ spoke out for righteousness and justice and liberty from his pulpit in Revolutionary times, and that he worked in Congress to that end. But did he endorse candidates from that same pulpit? Did he denounce the king from it? Did he tell his folk how to vote? I see that he said the cause of America to fight revolution is just, but that is not quite the same.
Written from Kayes, Republic of MALI, by a long serving American Protestant missionary.
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