Headlines about shifts in IRS leniency for churches around prohibitions in what is known as the Johnson Amendment are the topic of a statement available in the ELCA Resource Center.

“This church joins other churches and religious organizations to urge political leaders to safeguard the amendment’s prohibitions,” it reads, looking at theological roots. “To maintain this clarity, the [Evangelical Lutheran Church in America] will continue to adhere to and promote the prohibition on partisan campaign activity by churches, as was intended by Congress more than a half century ago, and will support other bodies, both religious and nonreligious, that have expressed deep concern over this filing and its possible ramifications.”