Interfaith Alliance Applauds Court Ruling Protecting Houses of Worship from Partisan Politics

Media Contact:

Prapti Ajmera, [email protected], 202-867-5231

Interfaith Alliance is a leading advocate for multi-faith democracy and healthy boundaries between religion and government. It was among the founding organizations of a national sign-on letter, joined by more than 1,800 nonprofit organizations, voicing opposition to the proposed settlement agreement in National Religious Broadcasters v. Bessent, a case in which the Trump administration and a coalition of religious broadcasters sought to create an effective exemption to the Johnson Amendment, the 70-year-old law that bars 501(c)(3) organizations, including houses of worship, from endorsing or opposing political candidates. Had the settlement been approved, religious leaders would have been able to make partisan endorsements from the pulpit without risking their tax-exempt status. Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas dismissed the case, finding it lacked jurisdiction.

In response, Interfaith Alliance Vice President of Programs and Strategy Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons shared the following statement:

“Today’s ruling is a victory for houses of worship, for our elections, and for the healthy boundaries between religion and government that have served American democracy for more than 70 years. We are relieved that the court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to use the courts to quietly rewrite the Johnson Amendment, a law that has long protected our sacred spaces from being turned into partisan political tools.

“The proposed settlement would have opened the floodgates to dark money operations, allowing political operatives to funnel resources through churches while benefiting from generous tax exemptions at the expense of ordinary taxpayers and the integrity of our elections. Houses of worship are among the last trusted spaces where people of diverse political, religious, and cultural backgrounds come together in community. That trust is worth protecting.

“American democracy and our diverse religious communities benefit from healthy boundaries between government and religion. We have always believed that faith leaders can and should speak powerfully on the great moral issues of our time, but endorsing political candidates from the pulpit is a different matter entirely. It is corrosive to congregations, to communities, and to democracy itself. Interfaith Alliance will keep fighting to ensure that America’s houses of worship remain spaces of genuine community and care.”

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About Interfaith Alliance

‍Interfaith Alliance and Interfaith Alliance Foundation are a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America's promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.