I discovered last week that my local county’s executive council is considering whether to mandate proof of vaccination for entry into most public areas. This action has been noted in New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. While it is not surprising to learn this mandate is on the table, it came faster than expected. As a Christian and pastor, I found it important to crystallize my thoughts about the Church’s role in the vaccine debates. While the Church has largely waited to see how all things pandemic would play out, it is time for her to find her voice on matters settled within Christianity long ago.
As a people whose faith is in Christ — the One who calls Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, circumcised and uncircumcised, and whose initial disciples included both the tax collector and the zealot — Christians find in Jesus a template for accepting all comers to the body of Christ. Further, we also find in our faith tradition a rich pattern of advocacy for the rights of those outside the Church. Promoting right-to-life issues has characterized Christianity since its infancy.
