Covid and Health at Church

I’ve recently heard of churches requiring vaccine proof to attend church in person.

 

This position is light years from my own local church context.  We have met in person for 15 months now, unmasked, in fairly close quarters – no covid cases have arisen from it that I am aware of.

 

Churches requiring vaccines prompt me to write:

 

1       Getting the vaccine is a very personal and private decision, and should NOT be required by employers, the gov’t, or churches.  Just because it also impacts public health does not justify social pressure or civil mandates.

2.      If you are vaccinated and go to any gathering, including church, where you know there are probably unvaccinated people, do not feel responsible for their health regarding that factor.  They have chosen to take the risk of what the data say so far – that the vaccine is quite effective in preventing and mitigating the severe effects of getting covid.  They may have several good reasons to take that risk, even if there are also bad reasons out there.

3.      If you are not vaccinated and go to any gathering, including church, do not feel responsible for the health of others such that you would not attend.  Others can get vaccinated or wear masks if they think it will protect them from your unvaccinated presence.

4.      There IS a responsibility we generally owe to others regarding health.  We routinely stay away from church and social functions when family members have fevers or flu or bad colds.  This is a way to love our neighbor.

5.      But there are equally important competing priorities.  The importance and benefit of gathering for worship justifies us taking some risk of passing on mild colds to others.  It took us a good while, but we have begun shaking hands in greeting again – another good sign.

6.      We need to avoid a spirit of fear even as we seek to love our neighbor, regarding health matters.  To stay home from church due to a mild cold or sniffle in the past was not common.  The needle has shifted because of covid, I think: whole families are more likely to stay home from church if anyone shows any sign of sickness.  I do not believe this to be a good direction to move.  We are more likely to isolate and avoid fellowship for many other reasons – it is generally spiritually unhealthy to add another one.  To stay away from church due to being unvaccinated, or because you sneeze an hour before the service, is yet another degree of separation that strains the cost-benefit calculation well beyond rationality.  Trust people to not freak out if you sneeze or cough in their presence.  Personally, I think the best place to draw the line on whether to attend is asking the question, is this cold mild enough that I can go, just not shake hands and maintain a bit more distance, and not feel guilty for exposing others to what I have? 

7.      Keep health matters in perspective.  Just as we need to avoid a spirit of fear, we should not let health matters dominate our thinking or conversations.  If all you can think of during communion is how germs are being passed unnecessarily, then you have a problem.  I think most of us were there at some point in the last 18 months, and we need to recover some equilibrium, if we haven’t already.  This will also involve being charitable to others, who hold a different view of vaccines, masks, and where the line is on attending church or not.  Don’t assume those who are more cautious than you are always giving in to a spirit of fear.  Or that those less cautious than you are always reckless.  We need to give others charity to draw the line a bit differently than we do.