Absurdity
Some 6,607 km away, in the state of Bavaria, in southern Germany, is the longest operating concentration camp (March 1933 to April 1945) of the Nazi regime — Dachau. I arrived in the comfort of a Coach, but many years earlier, tens of thousands arrived in crammed box cars, lying in their own squalor for days on end. Dachau, whose front gate proclaims in propaganda iron, Arbeit macht frei, or ‘Work Sets You Free’, was the scene of unimaginable suffering and medical experiments best left undescribed here . . . which along with other such camps contributed to the staggering death of some six million European Jews.
Should you ever visit Eretz Israel, and I trust you do, Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre is an absolute must ‘experience’. Did you know that since the Knesset passed the 1953 Yad Vashem Law, a visit here has been part of the Foreign Ministry’s obligatory protocol for all high-level guests visiting Israel for the first time?
Whatever you might think you know about the museum will hardly prepare you for the cold, sobering, emotionally daunting reality of what humanity did to the Jews. The children’s living memorial Yad Layeled, itself testifies to the one and a half million innocent Jewish children who perished under state-sponsored persecution.
Protesters wearing Yellow Star of David patches with the words “Not Vaccinated”! Give your head a shake.
Now, why am I even going down this road? First, to underscore the less popular idea — that humanity’s moral value system and capacity for evil knows no bounds. We are fallen creatures and cannot get up (… without Christ’s help)! I am not just thinking psychopaths, like ‘that guy’ from Germany, but school bullies, narcissists, university test cheaters, Walgreen shoplifters, Toronto gangbangers, Wall Street manipulators and Internet trolls, to name just a few. Sorry, but our Promethean faith in intellect and science will not rescue us.
Second, because in recent months, in the midst of Covid era reasonableness … and ‘collective hysteria’ (Lord Sumpton, former Supreme Court Judge, UK), some vaccine mandate protesters have taken to invoking Nazi symbolism and language as comparative example of government overreach. Not only is the comparison fundamentally flawed, a vile judgment, an offensive appropriation and antisemitic — it demonstrates just how historically illiterate some folks are.
I would hope there were no Christians in those vax protesting crowds waving moronic signs that trivialize history’s sad facts, but having my fingers crossed is probably a meaningless use of two good fingers.
The typhus epidemic was so rampant in the Warsaw Ghetto (esp. January to March, 1941) that anti-epidemic efforts by leadership and doctors looked to get vaccines INTO these places to stop its spread.
I suppose I could list all of the dissimilarities between the Shoah (Heb. “catastrophe”) and current restrictions on freedom of speech, mask wearing to make my point, but as my mom always said “A little homework never killed anybody.” I understand protest as a way of rejecting the distress of a pandemic and I even understand the inclination to associate mobility restrictions ‘here’ with those imposed on Jews ‘there’ — but it is an impossible leap to connect these two and misappropriate the Shoah’s deep darkness to leverage it for our own purposes. Full stop! If you are a believer perpetuating such nonsense, stop labelling anything covid restrictive as somehow comparable to the Holocaust. Enough said!
Absence
Now, I am not advocating sitting on our hands and doing nothing in response to the Wuhan originating pandemic. Not at all! After all, a crisis like Covid has a way of moving people into asking some fundamental theological questions.
First, how about denomination leaders, informed theologians, spiritual pastors and knowledgeable laity lead the way within the believing community, in fostering good debate and meaningful dialogue. There are any number of pandemic related matters, like the place of good government (Romans 13), lawful processes, the value (if any) of identifying the church and spiritual care workers as essential services, what worship as a corporate event in both the Old and New Testament can teach us about religious assembly and maybe even how to hold the government in contempt and resist without breaking the law. I see a lot of top-down leadership memos about what folks should or must do to meet provincial health standards … yet see no effort by our Pentecostal theologians to lay out a biblical / theological response that might help the church navigate current realities. I am confident that congregants would appreciate being so informed.
Christians publicly voicing contempt for those choosing not to take the vaccine, including fellow Christians, need to put their energies into “loving [all of] their enemies”.
What an opportunity for our Pentecostal academics to make a contribution to the discussion by helping believers collectively (1) understand what it means theologically to be the church living through a Covid crisis, (2) explore the idea of the church as a helpful tool for social cohesion during pandemic angst, while serving the interests of God and God’s people, (3) advance a biblical response to the dilemmas posed by government ethics that sidesteps democratic processes and limit freedoms, (4) make a case for the power of Faith and Hope in transcending our peculiar pandemic predicament, or even (5) demonstrate in practical terms what a biblical response to the nature and scope of the pandemic could look like. Astonishingly — our theologians are mute … invisible … and MIA.
Second, this pandemic is an excellent moment for the church to come into its own and retake the historical mantle of caring for the sick and dying in moments of crisis! For sure there is a lot of sermon zooming … bible study zooming … worship zooming … board zooming … even funeral zooming, but surely social media platforms are not the only tool? Some church leadership has shown creativity, energy and been very pro-active — but not all have! Others have been too timid to push through — resigned is seems to embracing the hopeless advice of U.K. Anglican prophet, Tom Wright, whose sage wisdom for the church in this season is to merely ‘lament’. That’s it! Just draw your metaphorical knees up to your chest and have a good cry! (TIME, March, 2020). In the words of Charlie Brown: “Good Grief!”
The Covid-19 pandemic IS a pastoral issue! Providing support, comfort and guidance in times of great spiritual need is what pastors are called to do. When pastors have difficulty therefore in understanding their role or articulating it in the face of growing government mandates and restricted civil liberties … it is reasonable that they will feel unsure of their place as spiritual care specialists, which in turn will make it more difficult to provide encouragement and direction. While the work of doctors, nurses and EMS workers has received widespread recognition, pastors are generally viewed as little more than another infection risk to worry about. Church leadership needs to be sure of their identity, step up in the power of the Spirit, gather courage and make a place alongside other mental health teams. Said another way: In uncertain times, being certain has advantages.
The pandemic is a great opportunity for theological formation, since theology cannot be separated from life!
The Covid-19 Pandemic IS a spiritual issue! As of this writing, there have been 28,657 deaths in Canada; worldwide the number is 4.92 million. Facing the end of life is not simply a medical issue — as if people are simply made of bones, blood and tissue that can be seen under an electron microscope; it is fundamentally a spiritual issue as well. Grief, fear of dying, unresolved conflict, loneliness, depression, sadness, anxiety, social isolation and moral distress are inescapable health issues that need the gift of hope. Some folks, now dead – realized too late that they would not get out of life alive! I wonder if they knew Jesus when that moment came?
Florence Nightingale, that pioneering 19th century nurse, was up to her neck in infectious risks yet she labored on using every tool she had for her missional advantage. When faced with implacable opposition by some fusty old bureaucrat, the solution is surely not to abdicate (or necessarily rebel) but recalculate, compensate and innovate. Missionaries do this all the time; at least, that’s what they tell me!
The Covid-19 pandemic IS a moral issue! The reformation of daily life since the pandemic struck has been enormous and there are a variety of moral and ethical issues that challenge the fairness of policies related to medical care decision making, things like vaccine distribution, lock-downs, Covid treatment without full agency/s approval, over-policing, individual rights and utilitarian policies that discriminate and devalue the lives of older adults, to name but a few. Where does the Church land?
Does Jesus’ “loving your neighbor’ statement (Matthew 22:37-39) mean getting the vax so you can be a ‘good’ neighbor … a ‘good’ witness … and a ‘good’ little Christian, too. If the answer is “Yes” then why has Jesus’ statement not been used previously by church leaders to bludgeon folks into getting the annual flu shot … or taking the homeless off the street and into their homes?
Is a two-tiered approach to church assembly supported by Scripture (e.g., vaccinated “Welcome”; not “Watch on-line”)?
When government mandates religious assembly as un-essential, while non-religious worship ‘temples’ like liquor stores and weed shops are immune, does Romans 13 support fawning, toady obedience or polite Canadian refusal?
Where does the church stand on the moral right of government and business to take away a person’s right to employment, education, transportation, even medical transplants – and the mental health crisis that will and does follow such decisions.
Where does church leadership stand on vaccination status as a factor in doctors refusing to treat recalcitrant patients? Anyone remember the Colorado woman denied a kidney transplant? Exactly how might the Scriptures like Romans 14:3 inform us on matters of deep conscience: “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats.” And for the record, the weak person’s practice there in Chapter 14 is God-exalting behavior and not sin, for as the apostle notes, it is a faith-driven practice (14:1, 6).
What should the church’s message be and how should it respond when territorial and provincial governments use coercive powers that abrogate individual liberties. Is it a non-issue? Should the church take a Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian ‘for the greater good’ approach or shall we embrace ‘natural-rights’ theory that says we are born with the right to life and liberty of our body and mind — and these rights must not be violated, not even to serve the greater good?
In the most significant public health crisis since HIV (1982), Sars (2003) and N1H1(2009), Christians could benefit from what Richard Lints call theological vision — “a framework for thinking about the world and a vision for living in it” (The Fabric of Theology,” p.81). With the church divided, frustrated, even fearful, exactly how do we live theologically while remaining culturally sensitive? What say our absent Pentecostal theologians?
Of course, we have civic responsibilities to each other. After all, independence is what drove Lucifer from heaven! But such obligations are not infinitely fixed as some suppose.
“You Gotta be Kidding!”
Few things in life surprise me any more! So, I was not surprised recently to learn that within my own denomination (PAOC), the governing District Executive of the British Columbia and Yukon District (BCYD) had determined that for “mid-week meetings: as of September 13, attendees will need to provide Proof of Vaccination to participate.” It appears that this is a mandate placed by the Interior Health Authority (IHA). So, while Sunday worship does not require proof of immunization or a mask, attending a mid-week Bible study requires the Big Three: mask, vaccine proof and crowd limits. Don’t ask me about the logic governing these two different gatherings. Who said there was?
What I was surprised by recently was the decision of the General Executive of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland and Labrador (PAONL), a sister organization to the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) to enforce a Vaccine Passport mandate on the churches within their province.
In a five-page Memorandum dated October 15, 2021 “COVID-19: Vaccine Passport” the General-Secretary Treasurer, on behalf of the General Executive Officers and Executive Committee, writes of their intention “to proceed with a full implementation of the Vaccine Passport policy.” 1
Deeper into the document reference is made to an Option A and B. Option A is “The full implementation of the Vaccine Passport via the NLVaxPass, is the best means of optimizing the health and safety of staff, volunteers, and attendees.” It is ‘Option B’ as presented, however that raises some ambiguity, if not eye-brows.
“Government has made a provision for people who are not vaccinated [emphasis mine]. It is our understanding that the original intent of this was for unique circumstances versus regular public worship gatherings. In the event unvaccinated people need to avail of an essential service such as a funeral, wedding, or food bank, the Pastor has the option of providing those services without using the Vaccine Passport process.
It is important to note, however, that when Option B (exemptions) is used, more restrictions are required of everyone in attendance. For example, attendance capacity is limited to 50 per cent, everyone must wear a non-medical mask at all times (including the officiant, musicians, vocalists, etc.), congregational singing is not permitted, physical distancing must be maintained between individuals from different family groups, etc.
Even though the government has not made this provision for Faith-Based Organizations, and has not restricted it to special circumstances, [emphasis mine] the PAONL Vaccine Passport Policy will still be a requirement for all PAONL Assemblies. It is likely that if Option B was ever to be used, Pastors, Church Boards, and congregants would soon realize how impractical and inconvenient this is for public worship services. Furthermore, since other community groups were not given this additional option, and are required to use the Vaccine Passport, it is even more advisable to use Option A.”
Genesis shows (2:18, 21-23) we are social creatures made
for fellowship. When this is denied our humanity
is diminished accordingly.
I know many of the leadership team of the PAONL. They are good folks, with open hearts and from my experience, without guile. So, while my intention here is not to keelhaul those tasked with having to make hard public decisions, such decisions should enjoy the light of honest critique as well — even when some might think it anathema.
(1) What is absent from the document is the theological / biblical premise for excluding the unvaccinated from church assembly. I wonder how the decision of the PAONL squares with their greater mission and purpose? On Sundays, all folks are welcome in Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, and the Dollarama in the Avalon Mall — but not in the Pentecostal church?
(2) The general mandate makes no provision for geography and context. No proviso is made for gatherings based on the levels of actual Covid infections in any community or outport: “If infections are low, gather; if transmissions are high, stay home.” Meanwhile the province is recording that over 80% of all eligible residents are now fully vaccinated, and 88% have received at least one shot.
(3) Vaccine Passports by their nature identify and divide people into existing groups with certain privileges or not. This is called segregation. I wonder how the PAONL reasons its way through such an indefensible position?
(4) Imposing restrictions (punishment) and guilt on the innocent is biblically unjust. Though the decision is not intended as punitive towards the unvaccinated — it is!
(5) The memorandum notes that the government has not restricted Faith-Based Organizations to special circumstances only. Why then would leadership consciously do what government directives are not mandating, especially when this same leadership has been advocating for churches to be reclassified as essential in the first place? “You gotta be kidding!”
Sadly, theology has become an afterthought during this pandemic. When it could have helped the conversation along – we hear only the voices of health officials.
A Word About Matthew 22
Ok, so we know what the second greatest commandment is, right? When Jesus was asked by some cunning clergy trying to trick him up, to sum up the law and prophets, he went all the way back to Deuteronomy 6:4 and quoted the Shema, and added “Love your neighbor as yourself” … a reference to Leviticus 19:18. Since then, it’s been a kind of slogan of the church. This in turn leads us to the inevitable question of how believers should live out their faith in the middle of a pandemic.
For sure, it means …
The 1st Commandment is the greater … and more important. Hands down!
The 2nd Commandment is the lesser … and still important.
We should watch out for each other, whether it is a mourning widow (I Timothy 5), a beat-up guy lying on the streets between Jerusalem and Jericho (Luke 10), or feeding a multitude of 5,000 (Matthew 14). I suspect we could add single moms, divorcees and trafficked victims into the mix, assuming we are not risk-averse.
Modify our behavior. Treat each other as we would want to be treated, with honesty, kindness, respect, dignity. After all we are substantially the same; created in the image of God. This fits with the Golden Rule of Matthew 7:12, which also sums up the law and prophets: “do to others what you would have them do to you.”
If the 2nd Commandment, in some convoluted, tortuous, twisted hermeneutic, means ‘taking the vax’ because you want to love your neighbor, then make that personal, individual decision. Can I suggest that you also go the 2nd mile and (a) you house some of your city’s homeless street people in your basement, and (b) put into practice the many clear, less fuzzy statements Jesus gave, like “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.” (Luke 6:30 NKJV)?
If you wish to take the vaccine, then do so. If you chose not to take the vaccine, it is your fundamental right and obviously your body will be immunologically on its own. Contrary to what some media might push, most vaccine hesitant people are not anti-vaxxers or conspiracy theorists. Likewise it is equally fair to ask ALL congregants to help mitigate the risk of exposure for the sake of others. It is called personal accountability!
The Reformation recognized the importance of the visible church and as the visible Body of Christ, it is indispensable to God’s plan of salvation. Therefore, the church cannot exclude people and it is indefensible that it be selective in its choice of who is Welcome within its arms. The poor (Luke 14:13–14, NIV), women (John 4:27), oppressors (Matthew 8:5-13), the lost (Luke 15) and yes — even the ‘unclean’ (Mark 1:40-45) were embraced by Jesus. If you want to see Jesus - No Vaccine Passport necessary at the door! “OnlySaying …”
1 I reached out to the author of the Memorandum, whose office is located in St. John’s, Nfld. but have heard nothing up to the moment of uploading this blog article.
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