Is It Time to Protest?

(Photo taken by me 13 March 2021 in a local store)

I wanted to address again the difficult question about the continued shut down of churches and worship. I did an earlier blog on this point but shutdowns have continued since then and there is a division in the church on this point. When is it time to assert our "right" to freedom of religion and the overriding authority of God's Word over that of temporal directives?

First, I want to set out the current divide which is starkly expressed in the case of Paster James Coates in Canada who is currently in prison for continuing to worship in his church. Here is an excerpt from the local newspaper which I have set out below for ease or reference. (https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/gracelife-church-pastor-james-coates-denied-release-trial-to-run-may-3-5 )

GraceLife church pastor James Coates will remain behind bars ahead of his trial this spring for allegedly breaching COVID-19 restrictions...

Edmonton Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Peter Michalyshyn ruled Friday that there were no legal errors in a justice of the peace’s decision last month to release Coates on the condition he comply with public health rules. As a condition of the release, Coates was ordered to adhere to a legal undertaking — which he did not sign — requiring him to abide by the Public Health Act.

Coates was arrested after GraceLife continued to hold in-person worship services. His trial is scheduled for May in Stony Plain. Michalyshyn said that Coates’ strongly held religious beliefs aside, “beliefs and convictions, without more, do not overcome those valid and enforceable laws...” (emphasis added) (Note: after publishing this blog he has been released)

I heard input from other Christian leaders who were celebrating the fact that being together did not matter as we could meet on WhatsApp and also that we needed to set an example in not being selfish and helping to prevent the spread of a deadly contagion. Outliers like Pastor Coates were potentially "making Christians look bad". Sounds good, right, but it does not address the issue of the state suppressing our ability to gather and worship.

Initially, we had a dangerous virus spreading from Wuhan and the impact was not known. Everyone joined together to stop the spread under the banner of "15 Days to Slow the Spread" and other similar campaigns. A year later, our churches are still closed and I have been to two services in the last 12 months - one of which I had to wear a mask, not sing and watch on a TV in the gym due to social distancing requirements.

On the 13th of March when I took that photo the government was allowing me to be in the store above yet I am not allowed to go to church. In Alberta where Pastor Coates is people can go to the government liquor stores, crowd together in large Costco stores and in some places go to bars, restaurants and strip clubs but not churches.

I think there are at least two key arguments showing the lunacy of the states' position in relation to churches and I will deal with the weakest first:

Argument 1: The state is weighing and valuing what people can do. The state is decreeing that you can take the risk of all of these other actions BUT not attending worship. In their value paradigm worship is optional. I think this is an unprecedented intrusion by the state into religious freedom. It is not in the power of the state to decree that Walmart attendance to buy a TV has more value in society than corporate worship. We are called to gather together, communion is a sacrament, baptism is in person, we are to lay hands on the sick and to anoint one another with oil. We are also called to worship corporately. Believers gathered together despite restrictions in the early church - indeed there were 120 in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost. Another group were praying in secret when Peter was released. They were hiding from authorities.

As a result, on this ground alone Christians should take all legal and non-violent actions to free Pastor Coates and people in similar situation. This may need to extend to include civil disobedience, if necessary. There is a long and valued tradition of protest in our democratic states. Roads are routinely blocked for Black Lives Matter protests or where Extinction Rebellion shuts down key traffic routes to highlight their views on climate change. While we still have our freedoms, jailing a pastor for conduction worship should shut down the Province. There may be a time where we have to go into the "catacombes" like the early Christians did in Rome but until then we must rise up make our voices heard and protest.

Argument 2: The second argument does not deal with the states' weighing of the utility of worship. It is more absolute. We are called to worship, gather together and this overrides all civil law.

The question is does this apply at this time? There may have been some grey areas earlier in the process but a year on and churches are still closed. I think it is clear that our leaders should be setting out our position and acting upon it. Worship cannot be stopped by the state. The fact that many leaders have compromised is shocking and leaves those like Pastor Coates who take a stand unsupported. If every believer and every church fulfilled their obligations to their flock this oppression could be stopped. Remember, Jesus is the answer and the sad truth is that churches agreeing to this shutdown evidences that the church does not really seem to believe this. If it did, we would have lines out of the churches for prayer during the Covid plague. In 1 Cor. 2:4 Paul said: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

We are also challenged to assemble together - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.

In summary, whatever the view was early in the pandemic process we have reached the point where Christians need to rise up, take a stand and oppose the states' restrictions on Christian worship in principle and also because of the partiality of its implementation.