Dr. John Yates, the rector of the conservative Falls Church Anglican, which broke from the US Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia last year over the decision of The Episcopal Church to recognize the ordination of women and gay clergy, now wants to overturn federal laws which restrict churches with tax exempt status from intervening directly in political campaigns. 

In an an online article by the conservative Citizen-Times, in which the publication applauds the "Pulpit Free Sunday" effort last month by a group of pastors supported by the Alliance Defense Fund to risk their tax exempt status by actively intervening in partisan political campaigns, Yates is quoted as saying:

"... This ban on pastors “has always troubled me” said Rev. John W. Yates, a clergyman in the shadows of Washington from nearby Falls Church VA. “I’m skeptical about the government’s authority to dictate to the church in this way,” he said. “There is a cultural elitism in America that would like to keep religion privately comforting but publicly irrelevant! But if our biblical faith does not inform and shape our thinking on public policy and guide us in whom to vote for, we are simply failing in our responsibility as followers of Christ. We won’t always agree with one another, but it is unthinkable that followers of Christ wouldn’t evaluate candidates’ policies in light of the Word of God.” ....

All pastors participating in Pulpit Free Sunday have endorsed John McCain and condemned parishioners who would vote for Barack Obama.  The ADF is associated with James Dobson's conservative Focus on the Family organization.   See The Minnesota Independent.  See also NPR on Pulpit Free Sunday.  More from KXAN ("30 Pastors Endorse McCain on Pulpit Freedom Sunday.")

Yates led the separation of the historic Falls Church Episcopal Church, a parish which pre-dates the Revolutionary War and the property after which Falls Church City is named, from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.  In a controversial vote, the conservative Falls Church congregation voted to align itself with the Church of Nigeria - CANA led by Anglican Bishop Akinola and become the Falls Church Anglican.  Although the Falls Church Anglican left the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, it continues to claim title to the historic church property and occupies the space.  The continuing congregation of the Falls Church Episcopal, which did not support the movement of the conservatives to disassociate themselves from the Episcopal Church, was ousted by the conservative congregation and has been forced to worship in borrowed space across the street from the historic church.  Despite the takeover of the historic Falls Church Episcopal property by the conservative Anglican congregation, Falls Church City remains one of the most politically progressive jurisdictions in Virginia.  The church property dispute is the subject of litigation in Fairfax County with a trial beginning this week.  See previous Blueweeds posts on the controversy at Blueweeds - The Falls Church Episcopal. 

The decision of Yates to now openly endorse preachers using their tax exempt pulpit to, as he put it, "...guide [parishioners] in whom to vote for ..." is no surprise to those on ground zero here in Falls Church.  We have had a front row seat on the global orthodox cabal, loosely aimed at women and gays, but really targeted at using the unique structure of the US Episcopal Church as a conservative theological think tank against Muslim extremists and perceived progressive enemies.  The connections to ADF and James Dobson, and the good solider endorsement of the McCain Campaign under the election-eve First Amendment antagonism pretense is just more of what we have seen for years.  A disgusting pollution of the church and an unabashed abuse of the faithful.

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For purposes of full disclosure, readers will please note my family and I are active members of the continuing congregation of The Falls Church Episcopal Church. - Mike at Blueweeds.