Eroded by their actions : Voting From Church
I disagree with the contention that this violates article VI, but it most certainly stretches the limits of this Church’s tax exemption under federal IRS code.
Leaders at Cornerstone will, no doubt, avoid overtly advocating from the pulpit that members vote for a candidate who is in the leadership, since to do so would endanger the tax-exempt status of the church. However, how can there not be conflict of interest, and implicit advocacy, for a church to serve as a voting center, during services, where a leader in the church is on the ballot?
Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution provides that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” If a candidate for public office is strongly favored by virtue of their role in a church, where voting for that office is held, at their request, doesn’t this at least violate the spirit of this provision?
More broadly, would it be right for voting to shift substantially into churches? We would risk that elections would become, essentially, contests of church membership and activism.