The so-called "prosperity preachers" are rebuffing demands by Sen. Charles Grassley (D-Iowa) to submit records detailing their salaries, perks, travel and oversight.
Of six mega-ministries included in the inquiry, only Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo., has complied.
The ministries all preach a "prosperity gospel," which holds that God wants believers to be rich. Grassley wants to know just how rich the preachers are, and whether they're violating IRS rules that prohibit ministers and executives of nonprofits from excessive personal gain through tax-exempt work.
It's an interesting issue. One can see why churches--even some who disapprove of the six ministries--are wary of Congress prying into their business. That seems like a classic church-state confrontation.
On the other hand, shouldn't the public have the right to know what preachers, such as the richly named Creflo Dollar of suburban Atlanta, are doing with the bounty of the offering plate?
Only when the details are known can we ponder the question: Do oceanfront homes and (in the case of the Joyce Meyer Ministries) a $23,000 marble-topped commode mean that God is pleased?
Read more about Grassley's inquiry here.
Barb Shelly, editorial board
if these so-called "preachers" are alive