Lately in the context of the Covid 19 Pandemic, there have been some challenges for the Church while we discern the correct way forward as believers and citizens of our respective countries. Governments have issued regulations requiring “social distancing” and proscribing meetings over various numbers that have prevented worship services from taking place in physical locations. Online services have temporarily taken the place of the usual Sunday morning meetings. On grounds of preserving or defending religious freedoms, a minority of pastors and believers have chosen to disregard government regulations and have held regular Sunday worship services. A few days ago, I reacted to a social media statement, “A Scared World needs a Fearless Church” by responding, “…but I might add, fearless does not mean lawless”. In posting this, I was attempting to express concerns at one level about civil disobedience, but also to acknowledge that there may be subtle boundaries between this reality and legitimate faith observance. Simply put, where do we draw the line between the demands of the Gospel and our duties as citizens?

Romans 13: 1-2, 7,  states, “…Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves… Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” (NASB). Paul seems to be echoing Mark 12:17, where Jesus is quoted saying the time-honored, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  Similar exhortations can be found at 1 Peter 2:13 -17, where we read, “…Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.” (NASB). (Continuing with the NRSV) “…For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” During the last few years of the lifetimes of Peter and Paul, the Emperor was Nero. However flawed or our present leaders may be, their faults taken together would pale into insignificance when placed beside the conduct of Nero. Few words could adequately describe this vicious, deceitful, brutal man. Yet we read no criticism by either apostle of Nero’s rule; and both would suffer martyrdom at his hand.

I submit that the above scriptures make it clear that the church must be careful about engaging in civil disobedience. Nicky Gumbel in his talks on Alpha mentions the person of Lord Denning, a great UK jurist and Christian believer. Lord Denning in one of his judgments concerning whether a defendant had a duty of care to a plaintiff, spoke in his day about the “reasonability” of the claim. Applying this measuring stick, I ask: is it reasonable in the wake of the coronavirus, for civil authorities to make laws which curtail our usual worship practices temporarily to prevent or inhibit the virus’ spread? I think the answer is in the affirmative; yes! We still have the online alternatives. And some churches are reporting that numbers have actually increased online. And finally, if there is any doubt, I believe it is right to give the benefit of the doubt to our respective civil authorities. There may come a time in the very near future when there will be no doubt at all as to our call to obey the Gospel directives of proclaiming Christ in the face of demands that we be silent. I suggest that we save our prophetic witness for then.

I offer this blog not as the “last word”, but for discussion and comment.

(Tony Hilling is an Anglican priest, writer and chaplain)