The Bible is the source of knowledge for Christians, and it directly addresses racism. Racism has been an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written. God can bring peace where there was once violence and kindness where there was once anger. He does this within our hearts when we accept Him, and do so again with others. Since we belong to Jesus, we are a part of His movement to bring more reconciliation between people and God.

Though the reasoning for church closure makes sense (for various reasons church gatherings do pose a heightened risk for virus transmission), what do we make of the fact that few people contested the labeling of church gatherings as “non-essential”? Even as we attempt to respect government guidelines and think prudently about reopening our church, it’s worth considering how the casually applied term “non-essential” diminishes the stature of the church’s place in the world.