Keeping the faith

Leaders show healthy respect for covid-19

Once upon a time, President Trump suggested how great it would be if the nation’s Christian churches could all restart their worship services in time for Easter.

That would have been April 12, far in advance of any public healthoriented timeline to allow the congregation of, well, congregations.

Churches and other places of faith have drawn atten- tion during the national response to covid-19. Some of it has come because of poor decisions — a few defiant pastors called worshippers together as though doing so was an affirmation of faith rather than confirmation of a lack of wisdom.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has generally tried to show a respect for what should be the limited reach of government when it comes to places of worship, what some people respect as the separation of church and state. He’s said from the outset of the state’s response to covid-19 that he wasn’t placing restrictions on churches or synagogues or mosques, but offering guidelines he hoped religious leaders would follow.

That certainly led to some criticisms from people who suggest, correctly, that the coronavirus doesn’t care whether a person is gathering for church or for football or for having a beer at the local bar. It will spread through human-to-human contact regardless of whether prayer is involved (although, for the record, it’s a mistake to believe a little prayer hasn’t occasionally gone up at football games and local bars).

And, indeed, when a Jonesboro church showed an inclination to keep operating as usual, Hutchinson didn’t mince words: He would enforce a directive to prevent large gatherings that threatened public health.

Arkansas churches got an early example, in March, of why continuing services wouldn’t be wise. Covid-19 spread through congregants of a Greers Ferry church, resulting in a flare-up of cases. Since then, Cleburne County has shown great progress in shrinking the spread. Overall, though, Arkansas’ places of faith deserve praise for their response to covid-19. So many have tackled the challenge of continuing worship services with technology, using live-streaming capabilities to allow members and guests to observe worship through singing, music and sermons.

It can hardly substitute for the in-person experience of joining others pursuing greater understanding of faith in educational classes and in-person worship, but the online offerings do not fall short on substance. While the structures people of faith have dedicated to worship and service are vital, places of faith have always been about the people.

We appreciate the respect faith leaders have shown in responding to covid-19. Hutchinson has outlined protective measures churches can use to open their doors to worshippers. It says a lot about their focus that many have not leapt quickly at restarting in-person services, but are taking a cautious approach by encouraging members and visitors to continue their online connections.

That’s wisdom and caring for the flock. And when it comes to covid-19, that flock is everyone in Arkansas.