Religion and the Public Forum

Religion and the Public Forum



Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….
Constitution of the United States, Amendment I


Approximately six weeks ago, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (my church), in her capacity as Presiding Bishop sent a letter to Congress encouraging defeat of the Farm Subsidy Bill then pending (see: Episcopal News Service, www.episcopalchurch.org/ens/). Yesterday, The Very Rev. Joseph Johnson, rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul, “…started courting community leaders…meeting with elected officials and staffers [regarding land use matters] (St. Paul Pioneer Press 6/08/08). Recently, the Episcopal Bishop of New York participated prominently in an anti-gun rally (ENS).

While I agree with the shattered hope for defeat of agricultural subsidies, my position is based on free market concerns, not “liberal” worry over developing nations’ problems. As to the New York Bishop who apparently doesn’t like the Second Amendment, he and I couldn’t be further apart. The Roman Catholic Church has no business attempting to influence government in St. Paul.

All of the foregoing actions by religious leaders – in their official capacities – are, at best, disingenuous, at worst, rank hypocrisy. The Episcopal Church receives tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars in government subsidies annually. These subsidies which all other “religious” institutions receive are by way of tax exemption for real estate owned in the various political subdivisions which are precluded from assessing same by statute. Religious institutions want fire protection, police protection, good adjoining streets and sidewalks without paying for same as every other private or business citizen must. Instead, we all pay higher taxes to take up the slack of their tax exemption. There’s only so much land to tax and removing some parcels, increases the assessments on all others.

Moreover, contributions to the previously mentioned religious institutions along with all others are tax exempt and deductible by the IRS under Section 501(c) (3). However, if the religious/charitable institution steps into the political arena, the IRS is to revoke its tax exempt status. Why does the IRS not do so?

Taxation of religious land does NOT prohibit the “free exercise thereof” any more than taxation of individuals impairs their First through Ninth Amendment rights. Further, taxation would in no way prohibit Jefferts Schori, Johnson, the Bishop of New York, or even despicable characters like Pastor Jeremiah Wright from exercising their freedom of speech AS INDIVIDUALS.

Quite simply, I am advocating “strict neutrality” in terms of church-state relations. This premise of constitutional law best explicated by the late Professor Philip B. Kurland of the University of Chicago Law School suggests that subsidizing religions through tax exemption violates the “wall between church and state”.

Please, Bishops, Reverends, Rabbis, Imams, et al, if you chose to speak on public matters, lose the collars, yarmulkes, or other indicia of religious office or pay your fair share to be honest corporate citizens.