Barack Obama, the UCC and the IRS

So my denomination -- the United Church of Christ -- is being investigated by the IRS after a complaint was filed regarding Barack Obama speaking at last year's general synod. You can see the IRS letter regarding the possible jeopardizing of our tax-exempt status here: http://www.ucc.org/news/pdf/lettrirs.pdf

Sen. Obama has been an active member of a UCC church in Chicago for 22 years. He was invited to speak to the synod before he declared his candidacy for the presidency. He was one of about 60 speakers from diverse backgrounds asked to speak about how his faith and his work intersect and inform each other. It was a great speech. You can watch it here: http://www.ucc.org/synod/video-archive.html

First off, let me say I am so very proud to be a part of a denomination that puts Barack Obama, Bill Moyers, Lynn Redgrave, Peter Gomes and Walter Brueggemann on the same stage! What a marvelous collection of faithful, thinking people. This is what the UCC is all about...stirring the pot prophetically and intellectually.

Second, let me say that this is no time for UCCers to panic or get their knickers in a twist. The folks in charge at synod did much to safeguard against a candidate speech: from banning any sort of Obama campaign materials within the civic center to clearly setting specific parameters for the senator's appearance. I think they did a very good job of due diligence. They made it clear they were not endorsing Senator Obama, but were welcoming him as one of us...a UCCer who carries his faith into the public forum.

Third, let me do my best to dispel the right-wing-conspiracy theories. A complaint was lodged with the IRS (yes, probably by one of our politically conservative brethren... so what?), and a cursory examination of the facts merited deeper investigation. A lone presidential candidate spoke at a church event. The IRS is absolutely right to investigate.

Rev. Barry Lynn, a UCC pastor and executive director of People United for the Separation of Church and State, uses this same tool to ensure politics and religion don't mix inappropriately, typically with Republicans and fundamentalist churches. Tax exempt status is a privilege afforded churches. When a church crosses the line and endorses a political candidate, they deserve to have that status reviewed, and possibly revoked, whether they are right wing, left wing or straight down the middle.

Those of you who know me well know that I am an absolute nut about the separation of church and state. For the faithful, faith informs all we do and is necessarily implicit and explicit in our public life. However, a church choosing and promoting a candidate for office is a very bad idea, much like viewing a nation as God's favorite is a serious perversion of Biblical principle that usually spells trouble and atrocity for others God loves just as much.

My allegiance is to God. My country, family and friends must fit within that Holy reality, plain and simple. God comes first and informs and influences my interaction with all the rest, including how I personally choose to vote. But don't wrap Jesus in an American flag. He's bigger and better than that, and no doubt objects to many things that occur under ours and every other nation's flag. God has blessed America. But God has blessed Iraq, Vietnam and Venezuela, too.


So thank you, IRS. Please do investigate this event and let us know if our denomination crossed the line. It is good you are there as a tool to prevent both the misuse and abuse of our churches by the politically ambitious, and the misuse and abuse of the politically ambitious by our churches.

We all strive to give unto Caeser what is Caeser's, and unto God what is God's. As for me, I'm 100% God's, but I'll cooperate with Caeser when it doesn't conflict.