Faith-based organisations say relaxing the rules for places of worship may infringe on their redemptive role

Some church leaders in Barbados believe that instituting the 70 per cent rule among their congregations is another way of establishing places of worship as safe zones.

This is among the views shared by church leaders who today shared varying perspectives on the Ministry of Health’s announcement that congregations can resume face-to-face worship only if the majority of worshippers are vaccinated.

“You cannot afford to safe zone churches because churches offer hope, faith and so on and how much more do we need but in a pandemic. The church must be seen as one of those areas where both the vaccinated and unvaccinated must be able to come,” said Bishop Dr Marlon Husbands, Senior Pastor at Sanctuary Empowered Centre.

He said he was yet to discuss the development with his eldership team to work out how they will enforce the new guidelines but he suggested that the move “is still an indirect way of safe zoning”.

Senior Pastor at the Apostolic Teaching Centre Apostle Eliseus Joseph said if churches accept Government’s three feet seating proposal, that can be compared to churches also accepting the idea of becoming safe zones.

He said the church operating as a safe zone, will defeat its role as a redemptive entity. Joseph said churches in Trinidad were adamant that they will not be classified as safe zones.

“The church has a redemptive role to provide a safe psychological space for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, the doubter and the believer, a person who believes in conspiracy theories and a person who does not believe in conspiracy theories.

“We prefer the idea of the 12-foot option which means there will be no barriers of entry and the vaccinated and the unvaccinated can come. When you move towards the three feet then you are moving towards barriers of entry. And the church is a redemptive place and should not be encouraging barriers of entry. The church is a place for persons who are experiencing fears and doubts,” Apostle Joseph said.

However, many church leaders are welcoming the opportunity to have the majority of their members together again in one place after being restricted to smaller numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George announced that places of worship will now be allowed a three-foot distance only if 70 per cent of the congregation is fully vaccinated. However, the Chief Medical Officer advised there is no testing required to enter places of worship.

Chairman of the Barbados Christian Council (BXC) Reverend Dr Cicely Athill-Horsford told Barbados TODAY that about three weeks ago, her organisation along with the Barbados Evangelical Association (BEA) made recommendations to the Ministry of Health and the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit to allow vaccinated congregations to return to church buildings in large numbers.

She said that a few days ago, faith-based organisations were informed about the decision made and how authorities intend to ensure that it is being followed. She said the COVID-19 Unit has given notice that it will be making spot checks at places of worship to check registers to ensure that worshippers are vaccinated.

“All the faith-based organisations were present at that meeting when they put to us that 70 per cent. Actually, we had agreed for 75 per cent but they put to us 70 and we can live with that because that is lower than what we agreed to,” Reverend Athill-Horsford said.

Chairman of the Barbados Evangelical Association (BEA) Dr Nigel Taylor said the association welcomed the announcement which would allow congregations to worship as one group in a shared space.

Dr Taylor said due to the church’s mission, it could not be formed into the kind of safe zone where 100 per cent of people attending events would be vaccinated or must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test. He said to offer the church an opportunity to resume regular programming once 70 per cent of the congregation is vaccinated, is welcoming.

“I am of the belief that many who attend churches these days have been vaccinated. The ministers would have been advocating from way back that the people try to fight against COVID, and if the vaccination was one of the barriers, many of those who attend churches would have been put in a position where they would have received the vaccination in order He said that in light of the new Omicron variant, churches that would have been fortunate to have 70 per cent of their members vaccinated are still being encouraged to keep their guard up by following protocols to contain the spread of the virus, especially those that will be hosting services during the Christmas season.

Senior Pastor of Restoration Ministries Apostle Dr David Durant said he cannot agree with the 70 per cent vaccinated policy because of the potential to cause a divide between the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

“The church is for all,” Apostle Durant said.

Secretary of the Barbados Muslim Association Suleiman Bulbulia said the association welcomes the decision by Government to allow more persons to access places of worship which he knows will be appreciated by many who are ready to return to their religious spaces.

Bulbulia said the Muslim Community will continue to follow the COVID-19 protocols, and indicated that leaders of the respective mosques across the island have begun putting plans in place to establish a database of vaccinated worshippers.

“Having discussions with other faith groups in Barbados and being part of that discussion, we know that it is definitely something that is welcomed and persons will obviously be looking forward to it. Obviously, we are going into a season where many persons in the Christian community would like to go to church,” Bulbulia said.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb