Unitarian Universalists Release Election Guide for Church Groups
April 24, 2008
The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations is pleased to announce an important resource to help religious groups carry out effective, nonpartisan electoral activities in 2008 and beyond.
The UUA has just released a new edition of The Real Rules: Congregations and IRS Guidelines on Advocacy, Lobbying, and Elections. The new version provides clear, up-to-date information on what congregations can and cannot do, drawing heavily on a binding decision issued by the IRS in June 2007. Most of the text comes straight from IRS publications, with sources clearly footnoted. The Real Rules is free of charge, and it is available to print and download.
“There is a wide range of totally acceptable actions that religious groups can take to influence public policy and promote civic participation,” said Rob Keithan, Director of the UUA’s Washington Office for Advocacy and lead author of The Real Rules. “The IRS places certain restrictions on what congregations can do, and those boundaries need to be respected, but there’s also much that can be done, and we want to encourage appropriate activities.”
“It’s possible for religious groups to be active in public life without being partisan,” Keithan explained. “There’s an important difference.”
Keithan elaborated, “There are many ways to participate in the democratic process while honoring the boundary between church and state. For example, with certain restrictions, congregations can support issues-based ballot initiatives, lobby their legislators, and encourage civic participation by registering and mobilizing voters. The key is to avoid any action that supports or opposes a candidate or political party. The work must be strictly nonpartisan.”
The Unitarian Universalism is committed to upholding the separation of church and the denomination has a long history of supporting religious pluralism. While the UUA has no political affiliation, one of its seven Principles “affirms and promotes the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.”
The release of the 2008 version of The Real Rules coincides with the re-launch of Faithful Democracy, a nonpartisan online clearinghouse made up of national faith-based organizations. The goal of Faithful Democracy is to educate and engage people of faith about the role they can and should play in the democratic process, thereby increasing the number of informed faith-based voters in elections. The Unitarian Universalist Association helped to found Faithful Democracy in 2004 and remains an active participant. See Faithful Democracy for more information, including theological reflections from a variety of religious leaders on the connections between civic participation and religious values.
The Unitarian Universalist Association is a faith community of more than 1000 self-governing congregations that bring to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance and social justice. For more information on the UUA, including recent press releases and news articles, please visit our pressroom.
Contact:
Rob
Keithan
Director, UUA Washington Office for Advocacy
washington @ uua.org
(202) 393-2255
x15
(202) 494-6969 mobile
Janet
Hayes
UUA Public Relations Director
25 Beacon
St., Boston, MA,
02108
pr @ uua.org
(617) 948-4386
The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations is pleased to announce an important resource to help religious groups carry out effective, nonpartisan electoral activities in 2008 and beyond.
The UUA has just released a new edition of The Real Rules: Congregations and IRS Guidelines on Advocacy, Lobbying, and Elections. The new version provides clear, up-to-date information on what congregations can and cannot do, drawing heavily on a binding decision issued by the IRS in June 2007. Most of the text comes straight from IRS publications, with sources clearly footnoted. The Real Rules is free of charge, and it is available to print and download.
“There is a wide range of totally acceptable actions that religious groups can take to influence public policy and promote civic participation,” said Rob Keithan, Director of the UUA’s Washington Office for Advocacy and lead author of The Real Rules. “The IRS places certain restrictions on what congregations can do, and those boundaries need to be respected, but there’s also much that can be done, and we want to encourage appropriate activities.”
“It’s possible for religious groups to be active in public life without being partisan,” Keithan explained. “There’s an important difference.”
Keithan elaborated, “There are many ways to participate in the democratic process while honoring the boundary between church and state. For example, with certain restrictions, congregations can support issues-based ballot initiatives, lobby their legislators, and encourage civic participation by registering and mobilizing voters. The key is to avoid any action that supports or opposes a candidate or political party. The work must be strictly nonpartisan.”
The Unitarian Universalism is committed to upholding the separation of church and the denomination has a long history of supporting religious pluralism. While the UUA has no political affiliation, one of its seven Principles “affirms and promotes the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.”
The release of the 2008 version of The Real Rules coincides with the re-launch of Faithful Democracy, a nonpartisan online clearinghouse made up of national faith-based organizations. The goal of Faithful Democracy is to educate and engage people of faith about the role they can and should play in the democratic process, thereby increasing the number of informed faith-based voters in elections. The Unitarian Universalist Association helped to found Faithful Democracy in 2004 and remains an active participant. See Faithful Democracy for more information, including theological reflections from a variety of religious leaders on the connections between civic participation and religious values.
The Unitarian Universalist Association is a faith community of more than 1000 self-governing congregations that bring to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance and social justice. For more information on the UUA, including recent press releases and news articles, please visit our pressroom.
Contact:
Rob
Keithan
Director, UUA Washington Office for Advocacy
washington @ uua.org
(202) 393-2255
x15
(202) 494-6969 mobile
Janet
Hayes
UUA Public Relations Director
25 Beacon
St., Boston, MA,
02108
pr @ uua.org
(617) 948-4386
This work is made possible by the generosity of individual donors. Please consider making a donation today.
Last updated on Tuesday, May 24, 2011.
Updated and Popular
Popular New Searches
For Newcomers
Learn more about the Beliefs & Principles of Unitarian Universalism, or read our online magazine, UU World, for features on today's Unitarian Universalists. Visit an online UU church, or find a congregation near you.
