A Threat To The Charitable Tax Status Of Churches And Houses Of Worship

Mike Farris, constitutional lawyer, an original co-author of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, outlines the continued assault on America’s religious liberty including new threats to the funding for religious institutions, particularly schools and colleges.

Mike Farris on the threat to the charitable tax status of churches and houses of worship: 

“Christian colleges and churches need to get prepared. We must decide which is more important to us — our tax exemption or our religious convictions. Keep in mind, it is not the idea that the college itself might have to pay taxes that is the threat. Schools like Patrick Henry College, which I started, never run much of a profit. But since PHC refuses all government aid, all of our donations for scholarships and buildings come from tax deductible gifts. Cutting off that stream of revenue is effectively the end of such colleges absent a team of donors who simply don't care if gifts are deductible.”

Farris’ latest piece in USA Today highlights these new threats: Christians schools will have no choice about gay marriage

This week on Faith on Trial Deacon Mike and co-host, Gina Noll will discuss these trends with Mike Farris, widely known for his leadership on homeschooling, religious freedom, and the preservation of American sovereignty.  Mike currently serves as Chancellor of Patrick Henry College and Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

We will continue our new series looking at the presidential candidates’ stands on religious liberty. Joshua Mercer,  political director at CatholicVote.org, will take a look at how a Ben Carson, neurosurgeon, administration might fair for religious liberties . We will follow with similar profiles on each of the declared candidates every second and fourth Tuesday.

Faith On Trial is heard every Tuesday at 9 a.m. (CDT) and rebroadcast at 9 p.m. on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streamed on IowaCatholicRadio.com.

Faith On Trial is underwritten by Attorney Rick McConville, Confluence Brewing Company and Wealth Management Advisor Rob denHartog.