As many states slowly reopen while banning churches from doing so, church leaders have been torn: Do they push back and reopen anyway or obey state officials? Some are choosing the latter.
Churches in Massachusetts, Oregon, and Indiana have all been presented with this growing controversy. In an unfair inconsistency, some state officials are slowly reopening many businesses but not houses of worship.
State officials in Maryland are actually trying to ban the Eucharist as they reopen, even though I can’t fathom any possible justification for such a harsh restriction on the free exercise of religion. Officials in Maryland’s Howard County issued an executive order on Tuesday. The order prohibits food or drink consumption during religious services. This essentially bans Communion and the celebration of the Mass, an essential aspect of the Catholic faith.
Thankfully, religious freedom advocates are fighting back. In Oregon, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing two churches filed a lawsuit in federal court Tuesday against Gov. Katherine Brown.
A provision of her executive order allows pastors to be jailed for a month and fined more than $1,000 if they reopen their churches and let more than 25 people gather and worship. For what it’s worth, the churches in Josephine and Douglas counties in Oregon plan on abiding by all safety protocols, including social distancing, even though there have been few active coronavirus cases in those counties. The governor’s arbitrary order lets businesses open even if more than 25 are gathered but does not permit faith-based gatherings of the same number.
In Indianapolis, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys again sent a letter to Mayor Joseph Hogsett and the Marion County Public Health Department on behalf of a local church regarding a double standard between churches and businesses. Per that county’s executive order, churches can’t hold services, even outside, of more than 25 people — but the same standard doesn’t apply to businesses nearby.
In Massachusetts, Victory Baptist Church wanted to resume gatherings, but the city issued a cease-and-desist order May 6 that prevented it from holding services even with 10 or fewer people as permitted under the Massachusetts governor’s coronavirus executive order. After Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys sent city officials a letter, they rescinded their order via this notice last Wednesday.
Nick White, pastor of Victory Baptist Church, was relieved and grateful to resume:
When these skirmishes first began over Easter, I had some sympathy for elected officials trying to help keep residents safe while allowing for the free exercise of religion. It was likely difficult to protect civil liberties and keep people safe. I even felt frustrated with churches trying to reopen too quickly or put people in harm’s way unnecessarily, especially when so many churches have alternative means of meeting online.
Now, after many states have reopened slowly and businesses are operating at 50% percent capacity or more (especially places where crowds gather, such as malls), the obvious double standard, reeking with religious bigotry, cannot be ignored.
Liquor stores or salons are no more essential than houses or worship, period. Church leaders should continue to encourage people to follow safety protocols, but state officials need to treat businesses and churches equally. State officials who continue to abuse their power to squelch religious liberty should not be reelected.
Nicole Russell (@russell_nm) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota.
