There was a post in GD a few days ago about a church in Pasadena that was being audited by the IRS because of an October 31, 2004 sermon which the IRS claims was political. I didn't hear it myself, but I'm told it was a discussion about what God would say to the candidates, Kerry and Bush, about their stances on many things, including Iraq. From what I've heard, the sermon was critical of both candidates, but...unsurprisingly...was more critical of Bush.
I've recently begun attending that church and I'm on their email list. Here's their official press release:
The Internal Revenue Service summoned All Saints Church of Pasadena and its rector, the Rev. Ed Bacon, on Friday to appear before an officer of the IRS, renewing its examination of All Saints Church after ten months of silence. On July 24, the agency unexpectedly sent the Pasadena church a list of 13 questions that probed deeply into its core religious practices. All Saints responded by raising both substantive and procedural concerns, and requested that the Agency clarify the intentions of the examination, becuase of its wide-ranging First Amendment implications. Because of All Saints' concerns regarding both the substantive nature and the procedural defects of this examination, it asked the IRS to reconsider its questions and reissue the Information Document Request in the form of an Administrative Summons, which was delivered Friday morning. It listed 17 detailed requirements for information, documents and testimony regarding All Saints' relationship with the Rev. George Regas, the guest preacher who delivered the sermon in question, and all expenditures involved in having the sermon given on Sunday, October 31, 2004. Though the IRS tailored its inquiry, now recast as an administration summons, it still delves into a constitutionally protected are: the language and practices of All Saints' worship service.
The summons also probes into the church's practices regarding its selection process for guest preachers, and what if any instructions or guidelines are given to guest preachers by the church, clearly an intrusion into the church's free exercise of religion. These latest inquiries underscore the church's concerns about IRS compliance with the procedural safeguards set forth in the Internal Revenue Code to protect churches from unnecessary and intrusive audits.
The timing of the renewed investigation also raises concerns that it may reflect an attempt to chill the Church's discussions of fundamental religious issues with policy implications before the mid-term elections, and in a way that intrudes into core religious practice.
Much more here:
http://www.allsaints-pas.org/pdf/IRS%202%20Press%20Release%200915.pdfUpdate: There's even more info, including text of the sermon, at the church's website:
http://www.allsaints-pas.org/all_saints_church.htm
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