IRS authorizes churches to endorse political candidates from the pulpit without losing Tax-Exempt status following federal agreement in Texas.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has confirmed that religious leaders may express support for political candidates during their sermons or internal communications without violating their tax-exempt status.
This stance represents a significant shift in the interpretation of the so-called Johnson Amendment, in effect since 1954, which explicitly prohibited religious entities from intervening in political campaigns.
The resolution, presented before a federal court in Texas as part of a legal settlement, establishes that political messages delivered during religious services or regular church communications do not constitute “intervention in political campaigns.”
This redefinition, considered by experts as a “point of no return,” marks a new chapter in the relationship between faith, politics, and institutional authority.
The announcement has been met with relief by numerous religious communities who for decades denounced censorship and undue restrictions on their freedom of expression under threat of fiscal penalties.
The measure strengthens the constitutional rights to freedom of religion and expression, recognizing churches as legitimate spaces for civic education and citizen engagement.
Social leaders and faith-based organizations have celebrated the announcement as a victory for moral order, community identity, and respect for traditions that have supported the fabric of American society.
For many, this resolution restores the churches’ natural role in providing ethical guidance in public life, free from state coercion.
Nevertheless, progressive sectors have already voiced concern. They argue that this measure could encourage the political use of religious spaces, weakening the separation between Church and State.
These reactions, however, reflect an ideological perspective that fears the resurgence of strong principles in defense of life, family, legitimate authority, and tradition.
At a time when political polarization threatens to blur the country’s foundational values, this regulatory shift represents a firm step toward restoring lost balance.
Churches are not meant to be political parties, but rather guardians of moral order. Silencing them was an act of arbitrariness; giving them back their voice is an act of justice.
The Left must come to terms with the fact that faith is not the enemy of progress—it is its most reliable compass.
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