The COVID test for Christian love
In a week, some of our worship services will resume physical meeting. As permitted by government regulation, both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can attend.
There is a potential for this to stir up some controversies within our church community; those fully convinced about the efficacy of vaccination considering the unvaccinated as unreasonably raising health risk for other brothers & sisters, and the latter feeling discriminated against for not being vaccinated because of their conscientious objection or for medical reasons.
First of all, this debate has to be put into context of the health authorities’ risk management measures, informed by scientific risk assessment, i.e., with over 80% of eligible people vaccinated, the risks of church attendees contracting COVID are much reduced, and in particular, the risk of the vaccinated, even if infected, suffering severe symptoms is low. In this context, the willingness of the vaccinated to fellowship with those not, and the latter’s willingness to consider accepting vaccination despite their lack of conviction of its necessity become a matter of expression of our love for one another.
The Session has decided to abide by the government’s regulation to open worship services to all, regardless of vaccination status. This is in harmony with the decision of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, as well as the views of religious leaders of the major Christian faiths in Australia, including the Anglican and Catholic Archbishops of Sydney. They stressed that the church is “an essential service” that must be accessible to all Christians. A recent declaration signed by many religious leaders stated that “To refuse people access to [the Christian] message would betray our Saviour and everything He calls us to uphold. We cannot imagine a situation in which we would refuse someone whom Christ has welcomed.”
This is a test of “loving one another” that we are facing now as a community of Christ:
1. Are those of us who are convinced about the wisdom of vaccination willing to respect the views of those for medical reasons or private convictions object to receiving vaccination, and extend Christian fellowship to them? It may mean coming to terms with a level of health risk higher than what you would like, although calculated as acceptable by health authorities, and/or putting up with the inconvenience of taking additional personal precautions (e.g. mask wearing, social distancing and frequent hand-washing etc.).
2. Are those who are not fully convinced about vaccination be willing to objectively assess the available evidence and reconsider, or accept the vaccine in order to allay the concerns which other brothers & sisters may have? Even if you were to distrust the politicians regarding the safety of the vaccines, do consider the advice of our brothers & sisters who are doctors. They would only have the safety and wellbeing of you and our congregation at heart.
I pray that we can indeed meet the challenge of this test “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:2-5
「新冠」 信徒相愛測試
一周後，我們的一些崇拜將恢復實體聚會。根據政府規定，無論有否接種疫苗的人都可以參加。
這議題可能在我們的教會群體裡引起一些爭議：那些深信接種疫苗療效的人可能會認為不接種疫苗者不合理地提高了其他弟兄姐妹要面對的健康風險，而後者則會覺得因自己的信念或健康狀況不接受疫苗而感到受歧視。
首先，我們須了解政府在所設定條件後面的理由才作這辯論。衛生當局管理病毒流行的風險之措施是基於科學性的風險評估，即現既有超過80%可接種的人士已經接種疫苗，實體參與教會者感染新冠病毒的風險已大幅度降低，而已接種疫苗的人即使受感染，癥狀也會是溫和的。在這了解下，已接種疫苗的人是否願意與那些沒有接種疫苗的人一起團契？而後者，儘管他們不相信接種疫苗的必要性，又是否願意考慮因他人的感受接受疫苗接種?這就成了我們之間彼此愛的考驗。
長老議會決定了遵守政府的規定，容許所有人參加實體崇拜，不論他們己接種與否。這是與澳大利亞長老宗總會的決定，以及澳大利亞主流基督教宗派領袖們，包括悉尼聖公會和天主教的大主教們之立場是配合的。他們強調，教會是一項「基要服務」，是所有基督徒都須獲得的權利。最近許多宗教領袖也簽署了一份聲明, 指出「拒絕人們獲得基督的信息是背叛了我們的救主和祂呼籲我們要高舉的一切。我們無法想像在這種情況下，我們會拒絕一個基督自己會歡迎的人。」
這就是我們作為基督的群體現在所面臨「彼此相愛」的考驗：
1. 我們這些深信接種疫苗是智慧之舉的人是否願意尊重那些基於自己的健康狀況或個人見解而拒絕接種的人，並將基督的愛向他們施與？這可能意味著要願意接受高於您想達到的健康風險程度，儘管那是衛生當局計算為可以接受的程度，並且/或忍受採取額外個人預防措施所帶來的不便（如常帶口罩，保持社交距離及多洗手等）。
2. 那些對接種疫苗並不完全信服的人是否願意客觀地評估現有證據並重新考慮，或無論如何都接受疫苗以減輕其他弟兄姐妹可能的擔心？即使你不信任政客們對疫苗安全性的説法，也請考慮我們作為醫生的弟兄姐妹們的意見。他們只會以你和我們會眾的安全和福祉為念。
我祈禱我們能一同接受這考驗的挑戰, 「凡事謙虛、溫柔、忍耐、用愛心互相寬容、用和平彼此聯絡、竭力保守聖靈所賜合而為一的心。身體只有一個、聖靈只有一個、正如你們蒙召、同有一個指望、一主、一信、一洗、一神、就是眾人的父、超乎眾人之上、貫乎眾人之中、也住在眾人之內。」以弗所書4:2-5。
