Church Rejects IRS Request for Documents

All Saints Episcopal Church, in Pasadena, Calif., has refused a request by the Internal Revenue Service to turn over documents for an investigation of the church’s political activities, reports The New York Times.

The tax agency is investigating the church over allegations that a guest pastor may have overstepped the boundaries on politicking. Churches and charities are not allowed to support or oppose specific candidates.

The IRS is examining a sermon made a week before the presidential election of 2004 that was critical of both George W. Bush and Democratic candidate Sen. John Kerry and their handling of issues such as poverty and war.

The IRS informally requested that All Saints provide several documents, including copies of church policies and an e-mail message, but the governing body of the church decided unanimously to deny the request and asked for a formal process.

The IRS now must now either drop the investigation or ask the Justice Department to take All Saints to court.

Many religious organizations hope this case will push the IRS to more clearly delineate its policies on political involvement by tax-exempt organizations, the newspaper said.