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)

One of the readings for yesterday’s online service at All Saints Anglican was Psalm 130. It’s part of group of psalms in the Bible called “A song of Ascents” or, “A Song of Degrees”. John I. Durham (Broadman Commentary, Vol.4) believes these psalms were likely songs of pilgrimage as the believers were going up to Jerusalem. He describes Psalm 130 as a song of lamentation and hope. In the Book of Common Prayer, it’s usual to introduce the psalms with the first two words of the Latin Vulgate edition; thus the title of this blog, “De Profundis” or “From the Depths.” Given our present situation in the midst of this serious world-wide threat of the Covid 19 Virus, “De Profundis”, is an accurate description of where we stand. Noted scholar, Fr. Raymond E. Brown states that “De Profundis”, suggests themes of death, chaos and the nether world (Jerome biblical Commentary, Psalms, p.599).

The lamenting psalmist cries out to God and begs to be heard. It is a cry, a plea for mercy. Yet the writer is also conscious of personal sin and of membership in that most inclusive club on earth, broken humanity. Note the change of prepositions in the first few verses from “my” to “our”. However, in this time of lament, the song drips with hope. Yes, our sins are not hidden from God, but with Him there is forgiveness. The psalmist speaks of waiting for the Lord, and hoping in Him; waiting like watchers looking for the dawn. And that hope is not defective because with the Lord there is “…steadfast love” and “…plentiful redemption.” (ESV).

I believe there is something for us all here. John I Durham (Broadman,Vol 4, p.431) speaks of four principles in this psalm that ascend in a kind of mounting rarity: personal need; accepted responsibility for that need; unquestioning trust in God concerning this need, and an unashamed declaration of this trust and its benefits. Why are these principles like steps, rising (or falling) in increasing scarecity? Each of them seems to demand a growing and greater personal commitment.

In this difficult time when a widespread virus is causing many deaths and global upheaval, we are being called as the descendant believers of this Psalmist to cry out to God for mercy, to recognize our own sin, frailty and complicity in this broken world, yet to trust in God’s steadfast love and make that trust known.

Just listening to the news this morning (Saturday, the 21st March) and I have the sense that folks around the world believe they are doing everything possible to stop this virus: simply put, they are NOT doing everything possible. Our secular mindset is deceiving us; it may result in killing us. France, Germany and Spain are all reporting now that they have more cases of Covid 19 than Italy. The United States could be on the brink of a disaster. Some reports have stated that half of the population of California will contract this virus. Other reports predict that one third of the population will catch it, and 1% of those who catch it will die. That would be hundreds of thousands in Canada. There is one thing that we are not doing which will swing the balance in our favour: fervent, organised, unceasing prayer! Why is it that doing the very thing that can help us, save us, we will not countenance? We must humble ourselves and admit that human effort alone will not defeat Covid 19. It seems that the whole planet has forgotten how to pray. I accept that there are praying initiatives going on by Christians, but I believe we must pray as a whole country. If we can’t pack the churches, let’s storm the airwaves.

Perhaps our role as Christians is to respectfully but boldly remind the world that there is a God who answers prayer. Let’s start with ourselves. Can we set a date, day, hour, when we can all pray together wherever we are, online for the Lord to destroy this plague; and also, for the world to turn back to Him, to listen to Him? What about the next succeeding Fridays until Good Friday (27th of March, the 3rd of April and the 10th)? I’m not discounting ongoing praying efforts, but I sense that we are on the outside, on the fringe, trying to get the attention of a deaf world. I would welcome your comments on this.

I haven’t blogged in about four years. I’m not fully clear on the reason for the ‘silence’. Or maybe I’m just ashamed to admit that I have been lazy, fearful and a bit discouraged about writing in general. I even have book sitting there waiting to be published, but I have done nothing about it for at least two years.  Somehow, the two (ie blogging and book) are connected. Anyway, enough about me; but don’t let me off the hook!

The present Covid 19 Crisis is nudging me to write something in response. I wanted to pen something about ‘Praying’.  I’m not quite sure why I used the participle instead of the noun, but I believe it’s about requiring us to do something, not just define it or think about it in the abstract. “Just do it” as the bumper sticker commands us. One thing I have tried to be faithful to in the last few years (well, at least more than writing) is praying. I have seen some amazing answers. One example is my daughter and son. Last year, they both seemed to be living in a kind of young adult stasis; a sort of suspended animation. My wife and I prayed for a breakthrough. Within a few months, my son found employment and became a student at a local bible college. My daughter went to B.C. “in spec”; happened to stumble on an open house for a respected university; got accepted when she applied; and the financing, accomodations etc just all fell into place. Folks, God answers “praying”!

I believe we should get into some serious, earnest “praying” in the face of this crisis.  Covid 19 has exposed, despite all our technological prowess, our naked vulnerability to the seeming random actions of nature. Even the best of human responses to it have appeared to be scattered reactions. We need to be praying, believing that wherever this demonic virus has come from, our God can stop it. Who knows but that the very thing God is waiting for, is the praying? Lets not procrastinate, like a certain lazy, fearful, blogger I know, and rest on our ‘Blessed Assurance’? Let’s be praying!

(Tony Hilling is semi-retired Anglican Priest, an infrequent blogger, and works as a chaplain.) 

I have a fairly wide taste in literature, but for the first time that I can remember I have begun to find an interest in biography.  (If you would like to read more, click on the following link):

<http://myhelpinghandspress.blogspot.ca/2016/10/tonyhilling-god-who-forgives.html#.V_mI8Y8rLIV&gt;

If you’re interested in the rise of what I call the “New Antisemitism”, click the following link to Helping Hands Press.

http://myhelpinghandspress.blogspot.ca/2016/07/the-god-of-jews-tonyhilling.html#.V5uGsOsrLIU

Source: God’s Covenant Love – Part I – Tony Hilling

A friend, Sarah Ball, has started a new blog entitled, “Fearless Fridays”. She kindly invited me to be one of her guest bloggers. Highlight the link below & click “go to” to read my submission.