Calif. pastor, IRS fight over pulpit

PASADENA, Calif. -- Rector J. Edwin Bacon told parishioners yesterday that All Saints Episcopal Church has received ''a surprising outpouring of solidarity and support" since he revealed that the liberal church may lose its tax-exempt status because of an IRS probe.

In a sermon titled ''The IRS Goes to Church," Bacon said support has come from Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, First Amendment scholars, and heads of secular nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations. All Saints also has found support among Christians with views far more conservative than those of its parishioners: ''An evangelical Christian radio show host told me during an interview this past Friday, 'Pastor, if they are coming for you today, they will be coming for us tomorrow,' " Bacon said.

On Nov. 6, the 57-year-old rector revealed that the Internal Revenue Service had launched its inquiry after former rector George Regas delivered an antiwar sermon on the eve of the 2004 presidential election.

The IRS said the sermon, which chided President Bush for the war in Iraq, might have violated the ban on ''campaign intervention" by nonprofit organizations, including churches. The tax code bars nonprofits from endorsing or campaigning against candidates in an election.

Bacon said the IRS charges were untrue. The church has hired lawyers and said it is vigorously defending its case.

''In many ways I am grateful that the IRS has come to church at All Saints because both people of faith and people who do not profess a belief are coming together at this moment in history to hold up something essential in a democracy -- the separation of church and state," Bacon said.

''What is at stake is that precious, holy freedom from intimidation when religious leaders enter that sacred place called a pulpit," Bacon said.