Politics in the pulpit

Charity: The law allows churches to do more than they may realize | Rusty Leonard and Warren Cole Smith

Allan Brown

A century ago, Theodore Roosevelt famously called the presidency a "bully pulpit." Today, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State argues that intermingling politics and religion produces pulpit bullies.

"Project Fair Play," an Americans United initiative, sent out letters to thousands of evangelical pastors in an attempt to "stop illegal church electioneering." But according to Jere Royall of the North Carolina Policy Council, the intimidating letters fail to let pastors know that most are doing less, not more, than the law allows.

"God told us to 'love your neighbor as yourself,'" Royall said. "Public policy affects the lives of countless numbers of our neighbors. I don't see how a Christian can be fully obedient to that command without getting involved."