The National Black Church Initiative, a coalition of 34,000 African American and Latino churches working to eradicate racial disparities, has urged leaders of churches in their network to “respect the science” of the new coronavirus and warn their at-risk congregants to stay home amid the pandemic.
“We must follow all of the CDC’s guidelines pertaining to those who are at least 60, especially those with underlying health conditions and compromised immunities. We are taking this extraordinary action in light of the fact that we must show moral leadership here in order to get everyone singing the same song — God will take care of us if we listen and obey those who he was empowered to help us protect ourselves, our families, and our communities,” the Rev. Anthony Evans, president of the NBCI said in a recent statement.
Churches in the coalition are comprised of 37 denominations and 26.7 million members with an additional 116,000 sister churches.
The NBCI warning comes amid a lack of consensus among church leaders nationwide on whether churches should shutter their doors and meet remotely.
Paul S. Morton, founding bishop of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has been fielding withering criticism online for insisting churches should remain open, like hospitals and police stations across the country, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
SOURCE: Christian Post, Leonardo Blair
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