WASHINGTON D.C. — For decades, churches have risked losing their tax-exempt status if they endorse political candidates. However, this may soon change.
In a filing in federal court, the Internal Revenue Service says it now views endorsements of candidates by churches to be like a conversation between family and believes endorsements would not affect their tax-exempt status.
The new IRS opinion is related to a lawsuit filed last August by two churches in Texas and the National Religious Broadcasters Association. The New York Times was the first to report this development.
This situation stems from the Johnson Amendment, which has applied to nonprofits since it was added to tax law in 1954 by then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, who later became president. In 2017, President Donald Trump advocated for allowing churches to endorse candidates during his first term in office.
However, there is pushback. The National Council of Nonprofits has expressed concerns that allowing church endorsements could lead to political groups using nonprofits to funnel money to candidates while still benefiting from tax breaks, according to a report in the New York Times.
FOX 17 has asked the Grand Rapids Diocese for any national response or guidance from the Catholic Church concerning this filing. It is important to note that the churches involved in the original Texas lawsuit were Christian churches.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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