When Locking Church Doors is a Blessing

 If you have been following this blog for any length of time you'll know that I'm passionate about freedom of religion, whether it is for brothers and sisters in Christ who undergo persecution or those from other faiths who face marginalization or violence because of what they believe and practice. 

You'll also know that I have little patience for the pretend-martyrs who insist that they are not subject to guidelines and restrictions as pandemic responses because of their religion. In Canada most congregations have the technological ability to stream worship experiences to their congregations even when they aren't allowed to physically gather. 

For periods during the past 14 months communities of faith in some jurisdictions have been allowed to come together for weeks or months, although with clear expectations regarding masking and physical distancing. Yet certain congregations have insisted that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms permit them to ignore the best medical advice and the direction of different levels of government. To my mind this is arrogance and selfishness, not freedom, nor faithfulness. 

I was relieved yesterday when an Ontario judge ordered that locks be used on the doors of an Aylmer church where pastors and parishioners openly defied provincial restrictions. The clergy and the congregations were given hefty fines as well.

The lead pastor, whose name I won't use, seems to have a messiah complex, as many of the defiant clergy do.  He does not believe that COVID-19 or the pandemic is real and is already making statements about carrying on with worship gatherings. 

We are all looking forward to being able to resume in-person worship, but we aren't there yet. I spent nearly four decades upholding Sunday services as the "heart and lungs" of the Body of Christ. In 37 years of pastoral ministry I never cancelled a Sunday worship service, although there were occasions when only a few of us were present. Yet I would have willingly closed the doors on Sundays if I had been faced with the same circumstances as we are experiencing during the pandemic. 

I hope these defiant congregations will prayerfully see the light -- and the locks on their doors. 

"This location has been the crucible of the contemptuous activity. This place is part of the fabric of their lives, but these regulations were put in place to protect the community and to save lives."

- Ontario Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas, on Church of God decision