In response to the Coronavirus Plague, a variety of churches have announced that in order to reopen a number of the practices to which most Christians have grown accustomed will have to be profoundly altered or even suspended entirely until permission is once again granted by the very technocrats that would like nothing more
than to see Christianity eliminated altogether as one of the final impediments to their agenda of comprehensive administrative regimentation.
Believers are assured, however, that what they are being compelled to surrender is not so much the cornerstone of their faith ---- the proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Rather what is to be surrendered are just things like Sunday School or group Bible study and close person to person fellowship unencumbered without masks.
In the case of what is categorized as Low Church Protestantism, the elements of Communion are believed only to be symbolic and do not necessarily require any sort of apostolic imputation to be valid.
As such, the most important aspect of church is the hearing of Scripture and the homily derived from revelation and not the direct human interaction.
Thus, if the sermon is made available either online or even in a transcribed printed form, why is the believer obligated to be their in person at all?
If when in a supermarket I can barely hear my father two feet away from me hindered by the compulsory mask, how is one expected or able to hear what parishioners are saying if the mandatory distance is thrice that and a number can't speak clearly as a result of accents or shoddy dentures?
Frederick Meekins is an independent theologian and social critic. Frederick holds a BS in Political Science/History, a MA in Apologetics/Christian Philosophy from Trinity Theological Seminary, and a PhD. in Christian Apologetics from Newburgh Theological Seminary.