On Sept. 9, the James Madison Center for Free Speech, in association with the Alliance Defense Fund, began offering free legal advice and assistance for churches and pastors wanting to discuss abortion issues without violating the law.
The IRS has certain guidelines for an organization to qualify for a tax-exempt status. To what extent a church, which is exempt from taxes as a religious and non-profit organization, is allowed to become involved in political matters remains ambigious to some pastors and church leaders.
In an attempt to clarify the election dos and don'ts for the church, the firms have also prepared a free legal guide including an overview of IRS regulations and requirements to assist churches and pastors to get involved in election activities without jeopardizing the church’s tax-exempt status.
According to James Bopp, Jr., General Counsel for the James Madison Center for Free Speech, "The best defense is to know your rights. That's why the Madison Center has teamed with the Alliance Defense Fund to both publish these guidelines and offer free legal advice to churches and their pastors and priests on this important topic."
The Alliance Defense Fund President Alan Sears agreed, saying, "We're excited about
working with the James Madison Center on this profoundly important issue. We must prevent the churches from being censored or chilled from speaking out on the great moral issues of the day."
Contact information and copies of the guidelines are available at www.jamesmadisoncenter.org and www.alliancedefensefund.org or e-mail your request to madisoncenter@aol.com.
