Minister's 600K Compensation Package Challenged in Court

John Del Signore

Published Apr 22, 2009

Modified Apr 22, 2009

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John Del Signore

Published Apr 22, 2009

Modified Apr 22, 2009

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It's hardly a secret that organized religion can be a very lucrative business model, but the sky high compensation package offered to the new senior minister of Riverside Church—which has a long history of advocating social justice—has some congregants raising hell. The Daily News's Juan Gonzalez reports that a group of dissident church members filed suit in Manhattan Supreme Court last week to stop Saturday's installation of Rev. Brad Braxton, who's been hired with a $600,000 annual compensation package.

That number includes $250,000 in salary, an $11,500 monthly housing allowance, private school tuition for his child, a full-time maid, entertainment, travel and "professional development" allowances, pension and life insurance benefits, and an equity allowance for Braxton to save up to buy a home. Zounds, we're really in the wrong racket. But yesterday Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Lewis Bart Stone refused to stop the installation, adjourning the case until after a special May 3rd meeting between church leaders and congregants.

The plaintiffs maintain that only a tiny group in the leadership had details of the contract when they all voted on Braxton. Virl Andrick, a 25-year member of the church's budget and planning commission, tells the News, "If the members of the church had known what his total compensation was when we voted, we wouldn't have chosen him." And another plaintiff, a member of choir, wants to know, "Where's the social justice in this? We have an economic crisis in the country, and none of the church staff are getting raises this year, but a few people at the top are getting these huge salaries?" But doesn't everyone else get a really great reward in Heaven?

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John Del Signore

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Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

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