These preachers built followers around innovative readings of the Scriptures. One letter writer cites the use of aborted fetal cells in medical research as a violation of their faith. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21). Coopers letter makes the case for allowing inoculation as a legitimate means to avoid suffering and preserve life. The Bible also has something to say about a government mandating vaccines for everyone. The New Covenant promise found in the Old Testament, made through Jesus, isnt about a nation. In our COVID-19 debates, we can get so wrapped up in opinions that we forget to ask, "what does the Bible say about vaccines?" Another quotes a section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that says people should be left to their own counsel. While many things continue to remain outside of our control, many find comfort in scripture to cope with difficult circumstances and face the unknown. Our royal home lies in this future world. It does not address them as those came out late 2020 and really started being pushed in 2021. We might have lopped the illness off at its knees if every part of society locked down for two weeks at the beginning of 2020. Probatum est. Professor of American History, Messiah College. On the other hand, Jesus did not always follow his cultures Jewish law. God Takes Your Hand to Comfort Your Fears and Help You This is chronicled by his great-grandson, Sereno Edwards Dwight, inThe Works of President Edwards with a Memoir of His Life. These passages speak to the pulse of our nation, our worries, fears and concerns, along with the hope we have in God. Again, the idea that most people die "with" COVID-19 rather than "of" COVID-19 is a conspiracy theory that arose last summer. Rather, I am arguing for the liberty of conscience. As people read the Bible many for the first time they inevitably began to interpret it as well. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that swarm in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the . God corralled the chaos into creation. The body is a temple that should not receive foreign or unnatural substances, and God will protect the body from sickness; and The immune system was created by God and should not be altered often. Hundreds of people demonstrated against vaccine mandates during a protest outside City Hall, Nov. 3, 2021. The Bible does not instruct us as to whether or not one should receive a vaccine, but it is clear when it comes to the doctrine of the liberty of conscience. Our view and understanding of people going through a similar situation are forever changed. The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Over time, this conviction gathered momentum. When they explain their religious objections to health officials, employers and school administrations, evangelicals select verses, usually out of context, and reference them on exemptions forms. In court filings, the nurses argued that they refused to buy one-way tickets to hell on the hysteria express.. (2 Timothy 2:15)' Luke 21:11 - And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. There are blessings in isolation and in spending more time with immediate family. student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY) where he is working on a research thesis examining the Protestant plague ethic from the 1500-1700s. We know this from our friends and loved ones personal experiences with modern medicine in addition to published research reports. An outdoorsy, recreational type for decades, I wanted to remain active. Michigans governor enforced quarantines and mask wearing to slow the spread of COVID-19. It is also worth noting that there are important differences between todays COVID vaccines, and the historic practice of inoculation through which one would be infected with a live virus. You can join the F.A.M. Both are common sense and simple actions everyone can take to protect themselves and protect other people. [Over 110,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Some people argue getting injected with a foreign substance such as a vaccine would defile their bodies, which they say is sinful. Youve probably heard people say were all in the same boat to describe how COVID-19 has transformed our lives. It's the claim that "only 6%" of death certificates show COVID-19 as the sole cause of death because "only 6%" don't also list comorbidities too, such as . The Department of Health also participates in cases involving medical accommodation requests. During this Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, many people are turning to the Word of God for guidance and comfort in these tumultuous times. The work of Gods brains aptly describes modern medicine. This vetting of beliefs should be alarming to any who value religious liberty. The angry conflict between people over vaccinations is most likely more disheartening to God than concerns over the vaccines themselves. We are called to live life as God intended. Matthew 18:1-4, and Matthew 19:13-15 are just a few verses that illustrate the aforementioned children as blessings from God that are valued and loved by him, On July 8, 1772, Edmund Massey preached a sermon at St. Andrews Holborn of London entitledA sermon against the dangerous and sinful practice of inoculation.6This text was republished and circulated in Boston, with Massey denouncing inoculation as a dangerous and sinful attempt to escape Gods judgment or to avoid the testing of ones faith. When large numbers of Irish and German immigrants arrived on American shores in the middle decades of the 19th century, evangelicals drew on longstanding anti-Catholic prejudices. I believe that taking the vaccine would be an expression of my lack of faith in my God given immune system (018) (019). The COVID-19 vaccine has been scientifically proved to save lives, but for a select group of people in the religious realm, a more important matter is at stake - eternal salvation.. As the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads, many Americans resist COVID-19 vaccines, some citing the uncertainty of long-term side effects, others lacking trust in the medical field. In that sense, there is no anti-vaccine tenet of the Christian faith. He has a B.A. According to YouVersion, 2 Chronicles 7:14 moved up to the number three spot. In the early 19th-century United States, biblical interpretation became more free-wheeling and individualistic. According to Dr. Roger Barrier on Crosswalk.com, "Jesus often described the End Times as being birth pangs. Just as labor pains grow stronger and closer together, God will allow escalation in trials of all kinds to bring men to Christ. Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence it bytemporal punishment, or burthens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits ofhypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of ourreligion, who, being Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it bycoercions on either, as was in his Almighty power to do . These so-called Bible riots revealed the deep tensions between the individualistic and common-sensical approach to biblical interpretation common among Protestants and a Catholic view of reading the Bible that was always filtered through the historic teachings of the Church and its theologians. COVID Vaccine Religious Exemption Letters Show Battle of Faith vs. Science Notes from clergy, obtained by THE CITY, range from citing "morality" to erroneous declarations that the vaccine causes COVID. I also try to eliminate stress from my life. The Bible calls the human body "a temple of the Holy Spirit." The New Testament makes multiple references likening the human body to a temple. EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is a resource for many seeking to understand if the Coronavirus pandemic is an End Times plague. Fourth, questions about religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate have prompted debate in the wider society, including among . Staffers waiting for a response on their exemptions remain on the payroll and working while other anti-vaxxers who did not file exemption requests have been put on unpaid leave. Vaccines violate our ability to follow the teachings of the Bible. What the French traveler and diplomat Alexis de Tocqueville described as individualism had a profound influence on biblical interpretation and the way laypeople read the sacred text. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. When I studied the beautifully written book of Job, I heard Gods answer to Jobs misery over losses in health, property, and family. 6. Meanwhile, we all await the ultimate kingdom of God, where there is no sickness or dyingand we all get along. from Capital Bible Seminary (Lanham, MD), and is a D.Min. The letters flowed in as everyone from the pope to the prominent rabbis and imams has encouraged their followers to get the jabs. However, few company leaders have . If there was ever a great opportunity for cherry-pickingusing Gods Word in a way that supports your ideas or lifethis is it. Instead of taking a position, he offered balanced counsel and argued for the individual to make a decision based upon faith, whether it be to receive inoculation or not, and for all to entrust themselves into the Lords providential care.7 What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? And if you will mind your praying and preaching, and believe that the Lord can take care of her without any of your contrivances, I shall not blame you. It's brimming with declarations and promises of God's protection. The site, Bible Gateway, shared similar search trends. As Christians, we are called to investigate, make informed decisions, and not take our life for granted. Some others they cite include Salem Radio host and author Eric Metaxas, the Liberty Counsel and Tennessee megachurch leader Greg Locke, to name a few. Sign up today.]. Leviticus 11:10-11. Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82 (New York: Hill and Wang, 2001). John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life. Think about Gods sacrifice, giving His only Son so that those who put their faith in Him would not spend an eternity separated from God. Some people lost jobs, while careers in healthcare ramped up dramatically. Please reach out if you need to talk to someone today. All rights reserved. The Lord has blessed Ben and his wife Ricki with three children whom they are homeschooling. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man shall be compelled to frequent orsupport any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced,restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer onaccount of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and byargument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in nowise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities. One of the few ways to avoid the tyrannical Covid measures being imposed on the public is through the use of religious exemptions. The former should seem to require the strongest faith of the two. Other federal defense agencies have rarely granted religious exemptions for other vaccines. Members and sponsors make THE CITY possible. Government and medical entities recommend vaccinations to slow its course. Job has a whole new perspective on misfortune in his life. . Maybe like-minded includes respecting each others convictions regarding the role of medicine in maintaining personal health. And the truth is, we need the Word of the Lord far more than we need the news of the world . The ability to work for a living and play for recreation is diminished. Let us not insist that anyone receives a medical treatment contrary to conscience, and let us not trample on the consciences of our brothers and sisters. To make a credible argument against the vaccine mandate, an employee would have to prove they do not take those drugs and many others, the legal experts said. If they reject the filing, city workers can appeal that decision to a panel composed of members from the Law Department, Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and New York City Commission on Human Rights. I dare not advise; but if she can quietly return at the usual time, and neither run intentionally into the way of the small-pox, nor run out of the way, but leave it simply with the Lord, I shall not blame her. This was passed by the General Assembly on January 16, 1786, and served as a forerunner to the First Amendments protection of religious liberty. Government agencies have a lot of leeway when it comes to enforcing a vaccine mandate, under case law. As Michael Bird would say, "sweet mother of Melchisedec!" But, this woman isn't you. They often followed the interpretations of charismatic leaders such as Joseph Smith (Latter Day Saints), Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell (Restorationist), William Miller (Adventists) and Lorenzo Dow (Methodists). 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