[Vision2020] Politics and the Pulpit

[Tom Hansen]

"Pastor Douglas Wilson of Moscow's Christ Church said pastors must address 
political issues of all types because they're 'a big chunk of life.'"

"Wilson isn't as worried about alienation. He told his church members last 
Sunday they should not vote for anyone who is 'wrong on abortion or wrong 
on homosexuality.'"

>From today's (October 11, 2008) Moscow-Pullman Daily News -

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Politics and the pulpit
Spiritual leaders across the Palouse try to find balance between faith, 
politics
By Tara Roberts, Daily News staff writer
October 11, 2008

It's a Sunday morning during election season, and church leaders across 
the nation are faced with tough decisions as they prepare for their 
sermons.

Should they talk about political issues with their congregations at the 
risk of stirring up controversy? Should they show their preference for 
certain candidates or parties? Should they bring up politics at all?

Such questions are common for Grace Lutheran Church and Community 
Presbyterian Church Pastor Larry Vieth of Potlatch and other ministers on 
the Palouse.

Vieth knows which presidential candidate he's voting for but believes 
Christians can have good reasons to vote for candidates of any party. He 
addresses political issues like poverty and sexuality when they come up in 
Scripture, but doesn't go out of his way to preach about controversial 
topics. 

"Christianity is related to politics, they're not divided," Vieth 
said. "But to know how to talk about them from the pulpit is something I'm 
still trying to figure out."

The Internal Revenue Service has prohibited tax-exempt entities like 
churches from participating or intervening in "any political campaign on 
behalf of any candidate for public office" since 1954. Many pastors say 
they're not fans of that rule but they're not going to go out of their way 
to break it either.

On the issues

Pastors on the Palouse say political issues inevitably come up in church.

"What happens in life comes up, which is what's happening to our economy 
and what's happening in our governmental system," said Pastor Phil Vance 
of Living Faith Fellowship in Pullman.

Vance recently used the current economic crisis as a springboard to remind 
his congregants they should trust in God, not money.

Rev. Kayle Rice of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse will 
open her pulpit this Sunday to a speaker who will address gay marriage. 
There are few political topics that aren't broached in her church.

"You name it, we'll talk about it," she said.

Pastor Douglas Wilson of Moscow's Christ Church said pastors must address 
political issues of all types because they're "a big chunk of life."

"Christians need to know to think about those things biblically," he said.

On the other hand, Abbot Adrian Parcher of St. Patrick's Catholic Church 
in Colfax avoids political issues in his church altogether. He tells 
people to vote according to their own conscience.

"It's just not my wish to force my conscience on other people," he 
said. "They're intelligent enough to form their own opinion."

Pastor Dean Stewart of Moscow's Emmanuel Lutheran Church said there's no 
political issue he's uncomfortable talking about, but "every one of them 
makes sparks." 

Stewart said it's unfortunate how polarized national politics has become 
in America, and how that can affect his church. He finds it vital for 
people to be able to talk openly while respecting each other's positions. 
If he or someone in his church gets "out of line" talking about an issue, 
he hopes others will call them on it.

"We're not really about polarizing," he said.

Pastor Mark Bradley of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Pullman also said it's 
important that people of any political persuasion feel comfortable in his 
church.

Bradley has addressed abortion, poverty and sexuality from the pulpit but 
avoids bringing up specific legislation. He leans conservative and knows 
his church members tend to as well, but he would never want a Democrat or 
anyone else to feel unwelcome.

"I value the evangelism role to the point that I don't want to turn off 
somebody with a different view," he said.


On the candidates

It's no secret that most Unitarian church members support Sen. Barack 
Obama, D-Ill., for president. The people in Rice's church often wear Obama 
buttons and T-shirts to services. 

Rice and her intern pastor, Tracy Springberry, both support Obama but 
don't endorse him from the pulpit. However, they worry their 
congregation's overt preference for Obama could alienate people who don't 
agree.

"I really feel sad about that," Rice said. "I wish that we had more of an 
openness for discussion on both sides."

Wilson isn't as worried about alienation. He told his church members last 
Sunday they should not vote for anyone who is "wrong on abortion or wrong 
on homosexuality."

"I believe that Obama is out for any thinking Christian," he said. "I 
don't have any problem saying that if you have a biblical world view, you 
can't vote for Obama. But that doesn't mean you have to vote for McCain."

Vieth said he believes defining an election on just a few issues - like 
abortion and homosexuality - constitutes telling people who to vote for.

"The faith has things to say about more than two issues," he said.


Across the nation

Stewart knows most of his parishioners have figured out who he plans to 
vote for. The pastor is a member of the Palouse Peace Coalition and openly 
protests the war in Iraq. He supports gay rights.

Still, Stewart doesn't want to cross the line and start endorsing his pick 
from the pulpit.

"It is not my job and it is against the law, in fact, for me to tell 
people they ought to vote for a political candidate or political party, or 
that not to do that would be to their spiritual detriment," he said.

Stewart said the integrity of the Christian church as a whole lies 
in "staying as separate as possible from the political realm," and not 
becoming mouthpieces for candidates. 

Parcher also strongly believes the pastors should not have endorsed 
candidates.

"I think people have enough intelligence that they can endorse their own 
candidates," he said.

Other pastors were more wary of the government telling preachers what they 
can and can't say, but they personally choose not to endorse a candidate.

Bradley said endorsing candidates can negatively affect a church's 
ministry in its communities. 

"I just don't feel like I want to confuse my spiritual mission with making 
a point of trying to persuade people on a political issue, like which 
candidate to vote for," Bradley said.

Bradley has mentioned Obama and McCain in a sermon, but in the context 
that people's hope is in Jesus, not in a specific candidate.

Vance has a similar view.

"John McCain nor Barack Obama is not the answer for America," he 
said. "The answer for America is Jesus Christ. ... God sets up and he 
takes down leaders, and we need to trust in him."

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"Jesus was a community organizer and Poncius Pilate was a governor."

- Marilyn Trail, sister of Representative Tom trail (September 8, 2008)

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"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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