IRS threatens the tax exemption status of a church

The IRS has threatened to revoke the tax exemption of All Saints Episcopal Church (Pasadena, CA) because of an anti-war sermon delivered by Rev. George Regas the Sunday before the 2004 Presidential election.

Therefore I found it most interesting that 70 to 80% of the political pamphlets published during the period of the American Revolution to the election of Thomas Jefferson were either of sermons that had been preached from the pulpit or written by clergy. It should also be noted that election sermons were preached for 256 years in Massachusetts beginning in 1634 and 156 years in Connecticut. The practice began in Vermont in 1778 and New Hampshire in 1784. These were sermons preached annually to the governor and legislature after the election of officers.

A clergyman would deliver an "Election Sermon," instructing the officials of the religious implications of their public duties. Often times these sermons were pointed critiques of the government and the society. Historians believe that the Election Sermons helped pave the way for the American War for Independence. The practice died out in 1884.

I will from time to time share my findings of the sermons of the American Revolution and the Reformation.

Copyrighted 2005

Religion