Senior Pastor Alyn Waller, of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, home to one of Philadelphia´s largest African American congregations, told his Facebook followers in a video on Saturday that President Donald Trump´s order for churches to be allowed to reopen immediately is “political pandering.”
According to Waller, the intention behind Trump´s insistence is to make a point for the extreme right-wing voters.
Although the pastor recognizes the importance of church services he opposes the President´s insistence that churches be allowed to meet for Sunday services.
“Of course, the church is essential. But the church is essential for more than Sunday morning. If your church was closed because you could not worship in a sanctuary, then you weren’t being the church,” he said.
The pastor explained that it is necessary to take into account what science says about large crowds gatherings.
“The truth of the matter is the science still suggests that it is not safe to gather in large crowds. What our president just did was political pandering to the right, extreme right-wing, to make a point for their votes.”
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Trump on Friday pushed for the reopening of churches across America that have been closed amid the pandemic to stop people gathering and worsening the coronavirus outbreak. “Allow these very important, essential places of faith to open right now for this weekend. If they don’t do it, I will override the governors,” the president said at the White House. “In America we need more prayer, not less.”
Waller also informed his congregation that he will continue to hold services through Zoom and Facebook Live until health authorities deem it safe to gather in large groups.
Waller was not the only faith leader to have pushed back against the president’s order this weekend. Reverend Jesse Jackson and about a dozen other Chicago faith leaders called for churches in the state of Illinois to remain closed. During a webinar, they said in-person services should resume when medical experts say it’s safe–not when Trump demands it.
On the other hand, many churches across the country did open their doors this weekend, following Trump´s remarks.
Noticias Newswire
