Jonathan Morgan

It bothers me that the Church in the UK is so dependent on Gift Aid.  To me it feels like the remnants of a time when Church and state were so intertwined that the Church became a pawn wielded by the state in the interest of securing political power.

For those of you who don’t know, Gift Aid is the means by which organisations that have been afforded charitable status can claim back the income tax that has been paid on any gifts that they’ve received.  This usually means that for every £1 that’s given to a church, they actually receive about £1.20.

In churches where biblical generosity is practiced, this extra 20% can make a big difference to their annual budget.

I’m sure many of you reading this are thinking “what’s wrong with that?  Surely that money is better used by churches than to fund wars?”  And sure, in one way I agree.  I’m not opposed to the church having access to extra funds.  What I am bothered about is the conditions and restrictions that are tied up with Gift Aid, and the churches growing dependence on state.

The early church came about during the time when the Roman Empire was the dominant world force.  Becoming a follower of Jesus during this time meant risking your life.  To be a Roman Citizen, and thus a friend (not an enemy) of Rome, you would proclaim “Caesar is Lord.”

When the Roman army invaded a place, the choice given to it’s people was: pledge allegiance to Caesar, or die.

Followers of The Way (the early name for those who followed Jesus) made the highly controversial statement, “Jesus is Lord.”  Instead of accepting hand outs from Caesar, they redistributed what they had, so that those who were poor among them were taken care of.

Joining The Way was a highly political activity that challenged the authority of the empire.  Following Jesus meant choosing Him as Lord instead of Caesar, even if it meant that your personal safety and security was under threat.

Fast forward to 2011, when the British Government offers the church hand outs (in the form of Gift Aid), providing they fulfil certain criteria, which is determined by the Charities Commission.

A Government Agency dictates the activities that must be pursued by Followers of The Way (the church) in order for them to receive a considerable chunk of their annual income.

Does this sound strange to anyone else?

When the government talks of cutting back Gift Aid, Christians are up in arms.  They lobby, they pray, they send emails to other believers, all with the aim of securing their access to this tax money.

How did such a counter cultural, empire-threatening group become so preoccupied with state-provided financial security?