Vaccine Certificates

Good Morning and Welcome to this week’s Gospel and Culture update, by Alan Vink
Vaccine Certificates
Tuesday 26th October, 2021

Vaccine Certificates

Last Friday at 10.00am, life for Pastors, Churches and Christians generally became a whole lot more complicated. The Covid-19 Protection Framework (or Traffic Light System) was announced by our PM and senior Cabinet Colleagues. This decision was informed by Sir David Skeggs, Dr Ashley Bloomfield and their colleagues in the Department of Health along with other expert advisors.

Here is the Official information on the Covid-19 Government website and here is a very helpful explainer.

Below is a chart that I have prepared summarising how ‘the traffic light system’ will apply to churches and to all places where people gather in large numbers based on the information we have at present.

Here is a personal Facebook post I wrote on Saturday morning just gone on this topic and it has attracted a good amount of comment from Christians who work in health, law, business, education, church and other interested folks. I think it reflects well the diversity of opinion and thought in the Christian community in NZ. My post reads as follows:-

Vaccine Certificates (VC)

It is important to note that vaccine certificates for churches (or other places where people gather) is not being mandated by Government in yesterday’s announcement, at least not now. In other words, you are free to meet without the VC system. It simply means that you have to live with greater restrictions and limits.
Given that, I am keen to hear from Christians who have concerns about yesterday’s announcement around the recommended proposed use of VC for Churches when they meet in-person.
What would you recommend? What are your plans going forward?

POV. It seems to me as pastors and elders we have at least five aspects or dimensions to consider when making decisions going forward. Ethics, law, theology, public health and pastoral care.

Ethics:

• Is it ever justified to limit people’s freedoms in a ‘free and democratic’ society?
• Is it discriminatory during a public health crisis to limit the freedoms of the unvaccinated?
• Is it ever fair to say, “The unvaccinated are putting all of us at risk”?
• Is there any valid reason not to be vaccinated? If so what is the reason(s)?
• Are the new requirements (law) being applied in an ‘even handed’ manner?

Law:

• Do Public Health Orders (or the legislative framework that Government enacts) trump all other considerations in Pandemic Times?
• How should we respond to the ‘new’ laws as a Christian community?
• How will we respond to accusations of Government over-reach?

Theology:

• What is the true nature of the Church, the local Church to be precise?
• How can we ‘deliver’ on the three core purposes for every church, namely worship, fellowship and mission during these times?
• To what extent should we happily and fully comply with the Government in the midst of a Global Pandemic as Romans 13 and other passages call on us to do?
• How are we best to navigate the tension between two important biblical truths, namely Individual Freedom and The Common Good?
• Is there a biblical (and an ethical) case to lean towards the Common Good in Pandemic Times?
• What about rights vs responsibilities?
• The church welcomes everyone at all times. How can that mandate be fulfilled in a vaccine certificate environment?
• Is the vaccine a gift from God?
• How does ‘Faith’ factor into our response?

Please Note: Here is the first of a two part article titled, ‘Responding to the Pandemic-Biblically’.//

Public Health (&Government):

• Can NZ’s Public Health system (and senior officials) be trusted?
• Is the NZ Government and the Health Department 100% honest, transparent and truthful with the NZ public?
• Is the Pfizer vaccine safe?
• What is the role of other treatments and medicines?

Pastoral Care

• How can we care for all our congregation, from the youngest to the oldest?
• What are important themes I as pastor should speak on right now?
• What must we do for our people to practise the one another’s of scripture?

I’m in no doubt there are many other considerations that you are dealing with in your local context. Perhaps this outline or decision making framework might be a good place to start. May God grant us all great wisdom as we go forward.