Oklahoma faith leaders react to stricken IRS rules, now allowing churches to partake in politics

This week, the Internal Revenue Service quietly ratified a change to its longstanding rules on allowing certain nonprofit groups, like churches, to take on political stances.

News of the policy change was revealed in court filings.

The Johnson Amendment, which had prohibited nonprofit groups from engaging with politics since 1954, already had a deep history of not being enforced.

Faith leaders in Oklahoma have debated the issue for decades.

Pastors like Paul Blair have been leading voices supporting a rule change.

"We've, for 20 years, been saying that churches have complete liberty to speak about any subject," Blair said, who leads Liberty Church in Edmond and Orlando, Florida.

But routinely, opponents have been wary that a complete disregard of the policy would muddle the separation of church and state.

“For more than 70 years, the Johnson Amendment has reflected the will of the American people, the majority of whom want to protect the integrity of our elections and shield our houses of worship from the corrupting influences of partisan politicking," said the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State in a written statement.

While Blair embraces, and never truly shied away from, the intersection of politics and faith, other faith leaders in Oklahoma have doubled down on decisions not to engage in politics.

"The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates," wrote the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City says it is aligned with that statement.

Likewise, the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma shared in a statement from its bishop, saying in part to its clergy: "I'm urging our clergy and congregations to refrain from such endorsements."

News 9 also contacted Temple B'nai Israel, the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Baptists, the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the Oklahoma Faith Network, but did not receive responses by the time of publication.

The Oklahoma District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod told News 9 it does not have a statement to share at this time.