Government funding of houses of worship in the wake of tragedy

By K. Hollyn Hollman

Hollman Report
October 2005

In the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, houses of worship face enormous challenges responding to the needs of the suffering. These challenges will not be easily or rapidly met. While each of the BJC's supporting member bodies, churches and individuals continues to find meaningful and effective ways to help, we must also continue to stand for our principles.

Some have suggested that the government has the answer to the challenges facing churches: providing taxpayer money to houses of worship. In response, we prepared guidance to warn houses of worship to beware of the consequences of accepting government funds, particularly at this time of tremendous vulnerability.

The hurricanes revealed what many would expect in the face of tragedy—a generous voluntary outpouring to care for those displaced by the storm. The enormity of the problem led some houses of worship to be transformed into emergency shelters at great expense, depleting financial resources and adding debt.

Whatever the government's plan to assist those in need and to make up for prior failings, it should not use tragedy to transform church-state relationships that have served both the church and the state well, during good times and bad.

Private Contributions Should Fund Houses of Worship. Private sources of money, such as individuals, churches, denominational bodies, nonprofit organizations and non-governmental relief funds, do not carry the risks of government entanglement. Churches should seek funds from private relief efforts such as the Bush-Clinton Katrina fund, as President Bush noted in his speech from New Orleans.

Houses of worship responded to needs because they are built on God, not government. Those who work in and support your church do so voluntarily, not because they are forced to participate through taxation. Do not let government change your ministry in a way that will diminish its autonomy and prophetic witness.

Religion's role as a prophetic critic is compromised when government claims credit or seeks political gain from its involvement with churches. Houses of worship should call government to account for its actions and inaction, including its response to these storms. Only when religious entities are voluntarily funded and independent can they do so effectively.

Government Should Not Fund Houses of Worship. The constitutional separation of church and state protects religious liberty by keeping government out of religion. To respect the voluntary nature of religion, government may not fund pervasively religious organizations or promote religious activities. Government subsidies for religious services will alter the time-honored relationship between religious institutions and government. Houses of worship opened their facilities to evacuees and gave generously according to their particular abilities and religious commitments. Many who are involved in relief efforts share their religion explicitly, with prayer and religious services. To ensure religious liberty for all, the government must not fund such efforts.

The institutions of government and religion have vital and distinct roles to play in recovery efforts. Religion makes its best contribution by doing the work of religion—providing care and comfort to those who hurt, speaking of hope to those who despair and offering community to those who are lost. Houses of worship threaten to lose their focus when forced to act like an agency of the government. Government should focus on restoring essential services. Government agencies are not competent, nor constitutionally permitted, to provide or pay for religious services.

Use Caution When Cooperating With Government. There are many non-financial ways government agencies may assist houses of worship, such as by providing information and coordinating efforts between religious and other non-governmental entities. While houses of worship should not receive government money, they can partner with government agencies through separate nonprofit organizations that receive government money. 

Many nonprofit organizations, including "religious affiliates" that are set up and run separately from pervasively religious organizations, such as houses of worship, may receive government money and may assist with the efforts of houses of worship. Such organizations offer tax-funded, secular services that do not involve proselytizing, discrimination or religious exercises. The experience of secular nonprofits and religious affiliates that have long received government money to provide social services is a model your congregation should use as it seeks to meet the challenges ahead.

While facing new challenges, we must continue to protect religious liberty for all. Click here to view a brochure on this subject.