The Anti-Trumpers and the Re-Opening of Churches

President Trump’s forceful rhetoric on the re-opening of places of worship was met with joyful responses by many in the evangelical community. “In America, we need more prayer, not less,” the president ended.

The question of whether he can override states’ leaders if they refuse to follow his directive is another question altogether. Rhode Island and Chicago (which someone referred to as its own state) are already refusing to re-open churches in light of Trump’s statements. It would seem clear, however, that the “essential” right to freedom of religion ought to be upheld. In this case, Trump would be on safer grounds constitutionally than if he were to force states to re-open salons. Either way, a clash over the role of government on matters pertaining to religion is inevitable and I welcome such dialogue. If politicians are going to war over one thing, let it be over the right thing.

Yet, the response of many in the church shocked me. Many who claim Christ are responding vehemently against the president’s orders. It would almost seem that the anti-Trumpers on the right are glad to keep churches closed simply as a way to oppose the president.

Any right-minded individual can find fault in Trump and his policies at times and certainly his rhetoric. As Ben Shapiro observes, we should be “Sometimes-Trump,” not anti-Trump. As Christians, I fail to see, however, the logic behind opposing and condemning the president’s orders unless it stems from a deep hatred of our president.

Before Trump was nominated I argued that one of the sole reasons to elect Trump was that the church would have four more years to freely worship and freely duplicate itself without the antagonism of anti-religious zealotry. I was right and the church was right to elect him in the general elections. Yet now, we find ourselves in a position where re-opening churches seem like the hardest decision to make, even assuming all the necessary protocols to protect our most vulnerable.

Do we really want the church to re-open?

My argument has been from the beginning that the Church has been de-ritualized in this season and the ones who most suffer are those whose rituals are established as necessary story-markers in their calendar. Those whose rituals are scattered and spontaneous do not understand the necessity of their re-establishment which may answer in some cases the rejection of some to re-open.

The piety of broad evangelicalism is not in the acts of meeting and eating and hearing together on Sunday, it is centered around personalities, which is why when personalities are removed the entire structure crumbles. Evangelical traditions are too accustomed to social distancing even before it became cool. Even back then, they already wore masks to avoid smelling the bread and gloves to keep them from touching one another. We have been non-essential before non-essential became the norm.

I am grateful to a president who can distinguish between a marijuana shop and a place of worship. I am grateful to a president who can see that a parking lot service is not different than parking at a Wal-Mart. I confess, however, I am disappointed in the evangelical voices who made opposition to Trump the starting point for all political discourse.

Tomorrow, churches who have not re-opened should return–if they are logistically capable–with high thanksgiving to worship together and avoid the narcotic of public acclaim that persecutes our ecclesiastical leaders who would rather oppose the president to make a point. We should all remember that if we fail to affirm who we are as the Church now, the next virus will simply infect our identity with no cure in sight.