Pastor John MacArthur and California church closings: Why isn't this a national story?

[Michie]

One of the more interesting church-state fights during this COVID-19 crisis has been one involving Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles. John MacArthur, its 81-year-old revered pastor, has become an unlikely government foe during this time, as he’s refused to close down his church all along.

Readers may recall that I wrote about him a year ago when he told noted Southern Baptist Bible study leader Beth Moore to “go home.”

Yes, that guy. Coverage has been spotty at best, although this is not necessarily reporters’ fault. The church isn’t known for answering media calls. When I tried contacting them this past summer, I got the cold shoulder as well.

That said, a lot more reporting is needed on why California has the strictest restrictions in the country against indoor church services — to the point that even the Catholics are rebelling. In September, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone organized a “free the Mass” event involving three eucharistic processions that first went to city hall, then to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption where the archbishop held an outdoor Mass.

Indoor worship services are banned in California, a state of megachurches. You don’t have to be a religion expert to know that restriction wasn’t going to fly, especially when stores and other businesses had no similar restrictions. Outdoor rites? California may have more sunny weather than many other states, but it still gets cold there.

It’s been very confusing to figure out what's going on with this church, as the story resembles a large elephant that appears differently depending on the observer. For instance, the Christian Post says that Grace Community had been released of all restrictions.

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Pastor John MacArthur and California church closings: Why isn't this a national story? — GetReligion

 

[Pavel Mosko]

It really is a great story and the worth coverage and that minister is an interesting guy. I've often agreed with some of his positions, but he can also be a bit to extreme on some topics like heresy etc.

But freedom of religion is a special protected right being specifically addressed in the Constitution. That means churches have to be treated at least equal to some of these other secular businesses like liquor stores etc. Infact it is OK to give them status that is a little better just as long as this is done equally to all religions etc. since they have a special place in which largely have been unaffected by Covid. (I've been watching a number of law video bloggers since Covid lockdowns came out).


The governor's really have set themselves up for some serious legal action with the lockdowns and arbitrary orders. People are protected from arbitrary actions of government, so many of those businesses in various states will be eligible to sue the state at some point for the state going above its mandate to protect the public and causing them unnecessary financial harm. And much also will be true of religious intuitions as well.