WILKES-BARRE -- Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C., President Donald Trump promised to repeal the Johnson Amendment, "and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution, I will do that, remember!" he said.
Repealing the Johnson Amendment would allow pastors to endorse candidates from the pulpit.
"Is that how we really want to encourage people to vote?" asked Pastor Michael Brewster of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Wilkes-Barre. He added that his role as a leader is to layout issues and for people decide what's important to them.
"I think it's important that we challenge them to go out and study and find the facts themselves," he said.
Currently, tax-exempt churches and charities such as King's College can't endorse a candidate.
"When you say, well, churches can, therefore, endorse candidates, that goes over the line, in my opinion," said Fr. Thomas Looney.
He also pointed out there's no one candidate who embodies everything there is to be Catholic. Instead, he believes in instilling faith and values in his congregation.
"People in their conscience and the freedom I think to think those things through for themselves," he said.
President Trump did not say how he plans to repeal the rule or when it would happen.