Principalities and Powers

Well, there's a "first" for everything. The United Church of Christ has made much of the "firsts" that we've recorded throughout our history: first college in America (Harvard), first co-ed college (Oberlin), first to ordain African Americans, women, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered persons, first to establish a theological seminiary (Andover), a foreign mission society and an integrated anti-slavery society, and that's just the beginning.

Now we can add that we're the first entire denomination to be investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for breaching the terms of our non-profit tax exempt status. We're not so happy about this "first". And, we're not alone. Faith communities representing every religious tradition are taking notice of this event.

Immediately, John Thomas, UCC General Minister and President, sent out a letter announcing the investigation. This letter (http://www.ucc.org/news/obama-speech-in-2007-prompts-1.html) and the scanned copy of the IRS notification letter (http://www.ucc.org/news/pdf/lettrirs.pdf )
are posted on the UCC website.

John also sent out an urgent request for donations to the newly formed UCC Legal Defense Fund in anticipation of costly legal fees. The Council of Conference Ministers also wrote a "Pastoral Letter" to their local congregations regarding this issue.

In each case through the initial alarmed reaction to the IRS notice of investigation has come the confidence of exoneration once the facts are known. There is also the realization that the United Church of Christ has a new opportunity to share the good news of the freedom that we share in Christ to covenant together and to follow the dictates of the God who is still speaking.

Indeed this is a great time to give God thanks for our life together in the United Church of Christ. No outside ecclesiastical body imposes dictates of faith upon our local congregations. Rather, in mutual respect and love we agree (covenant with one another) to walk together in all God's ways, as God is pleased to grant us the vision of where we are to follow.

Thus, in freedom we bind ourselves to one another and to God. And, in so doing we have found ourselves on the right side of the most significant causes for justice and equality throughout the history of the United States: independence from England, the abolition of slavery, equal public education and civil rights for all those that have been marginalized, just to name a few.

John Thomas acknowledged that the IRS investigation is disturbing. The UCC blog conversation about this has raised the question of the source of the complaint to the IRS. No one knows. Some speculate the Biblical Witness Fellowship, others that UCC Truths was behind it. But no one is certain.

The Washington D.C. law firm, Wilmer Hale, has been retained to defend the UCC throughout the investigation. Lead attorney, Saul Waxman, a former U.S. Solicitor General, feels confident that once the IRS hears the facts of the case, they will withdraw the complaint. In the meantime the law firm has offered to waive the attorney's fees for their services.

In response to Wilmer Hale's generosity John Thomas has suspended the call to continue to build the legal defense fund that had grown over the weekend to over $59,000. The existing donations will be utilized to cover the inevitable court costs.

Meanwhile, the Hartford Courant has written an editorial saying that the IRS has gone too far. In talking about Senator Obama's speech the Courant wrote:

"He was, in fact, one of dozens of arts, business and other leaders speaking about faith and vocation at the Hartford Civic Center gathering in June.The church went to great pains to keep campaign workers, buttons and banners outside the center. But the UCC couldn't stop Mr. Obama from a little campaigning in an eloquent but innocuous speech on the role of faith in public life. His few "my first term as president"-type slips were not great enough to warrant the IRS threat that followed eight months later. A letter sent this week to the church questioned whether "political activities" at the conference "could jeopardize" the UCC's tax exemption. Isn't that a bit excessive? The IRS should be policing nonprofits suspected of funneling money from donors skirting contribution limits, not stifling speech at houses of worship. The inquiry's timing is curious, coming months after the event but at the moment when the senator is emerging as the front-runner."

Yes, the timing is curious. And, whenever governments or governmental agencies come knocking on the door, anxiety is a justifiable companion. Yet, we are also confident in one thing. We have this faith, faith in the God who promises to be with always. It is the faith of which Paul wrote so boldly.

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39 RSV)

Blessings,

Rick Cowles