Saturday Lagniappe: The Dilemma Churches Face over Reopening and More

President Trump, Governors, and Churches: We Don't Need an Immediate Opening, But We Do Need Communication and Collaboration

We don't want to rush ahead of the governor, but there is a significant and growing angst among many church attenders and many church leaders. Read More

Trump Declares Churches ‘Essential’ as CDC Releases Reopening Guidelines

More than 1,000 pastors in Minnesota and California plan to resume worship by Pentecost Sunday, despite state restrictions. Read More

I am concerned that the recommendation for a phased reopening was dropped from the CDC reopening guidelines for churches. It is the safest approach and the one which health experts recommend. One does not put a baby in a tub of water without testing the temperature of the water first. I seen the injuries babies have received when a caregiver ignored this simple precaution or deliberately put a baby in a tub of scalding hot water. By reopening a church incrementally in phases, church leaders reduce the risk of infection to their congregation and to the community.

‘Free in Christ’ to Defy State Closures? Latino Churches Offer Insight.

Our churches are essential, but whether it is critical to gather is another question. Read More

The Nightmare That Colleges Face This Fall

University presidents are scrambling for answers on everything from on-campus housing to revenue-generating sports. Read More

I live in a town which is home to a state university. The university is the largest employer in the area. In recent years the university has been struggling due to reduced enrollment and funding cuts. The university has been forced to raise its tuition and fees, exacerbating its enrollment difficulties as more student choose to attend community colleges close to where their parents live rather than attend a state university away from home. If the university returns to in-person classes and reopens its residence halls, it may see an influx of students not just from Kentucky but also other states. These students may bring COVID-19 with them. On the other hand, the university may have difficulty in coaxing parents to permit their children to attend the university. Even if attendance falls below expectations, the return of students to the community increases the likelihood that the community will see an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Students generally live in close quarters with each other in the residence halls on campus or shared apartments off campus. A number of them do not follow guidelines for reducing the spread of infectious diseases like influenza and the common cold. A number of them dismiss the need for such guidelines. Because they are adolescents, they see themselves as invulnerable. They also show little or no concern for how their behavior affects other people. This creates a real dilemma. On one hand, the community's economy is dependent upon the university and the students; on the other hand, their return may pose a a threat to the health and safety of the community. The university is in the unenviable position of having to protect the students from themselves, the community from the students, and the students from the community. In some ways it is a position similar to that of churches in the United States.

Rick Warren: Sin of Prejudice Particularly Acute Right Now

As the global pandemic drags on, Pastor Rick Warren believes an old and ubiquitous sin is rearing its ugly head. The Bible refers to this sin as partiality, but we are more familiar with partiality’s synonyms: prejudice, discrimination, and bigotry. Read More