Clergy Epistle: Concerning Political Endorsements and the Mission of the Church

Beloved in Christ,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In light of recent developments and interpretations by the Internal Revenue Service regarding the ability of churches to endorse political candidates without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status, I write to you with both clarity and pastoral conviction.

While we acknowledge that the legal landscape around political engagement by religious institutions continues to evolve, we at St. Anne’s Parish in Annapolis will not be exercising this newly affirmed right to endorse candidates. We make this decision not out of fear or constraint, but in joyful fidelity to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Church’s mission is not to be an agent of partisan advocacy, but to be the Body of Christ in the world—a community grounded in the worship of God, committed to forming disciples, and dedicated to being a sanctifying presence in a broken and beautiful world. Our primary allegiance is not to any political ideology, party, or candidate, but to the One who reigns from the Cross and calls us to love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly with our God.

As such, I respectfully ask that no pressure be placed on clergy, staff, or parish leadership to make political endorsements. To do so would compromise our shared vocation and diminish the trust that makes this parish a sanctuary for all who seek a deeper relationship with God.

Let it be known and remembered: our pulpit is not for promoting a partisan agenda, but for the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. Our altar is not for division, but for communion with God and neighbor. Our mission is not to build the kingdom of any nation, but to witness to the Kingdom of God that transcends every temporal power.

May we continue to be a community where all—regardless of partisan persuasion—find welcome, belonging, and a call to spiritual growth. Let us focus our energies not on endorsement, but on discipleship; not on partisanship, but on compassion; not on rhetoric, but on the redemptive work of Christ in the world.

Yours in Christ’s Service,

Manoj+

The Rev. Dr. Manoj Mathew Zacharia, Rector