Rob Slane
theblogmire.com
I confess to still being somewhat stunned by the reaction of much of the Church to the unhinged, authoritarian response of governments around the world to Covid-19 and the subsequent global medical experiment performed on millions of people. Whilst churches were forced to shut for the longest period in history, businesses were made to close for no good reason, and people were mandated to cover the most visible expression of the Image of God — their faces — with useless, dehumanising bits of cloth, most of the Church was at best silent. When an experimental gene therapy product which will never complete its clinical trials was mandated at the cost of people’s jobs, reputations and livelihoods, most of the Church was at best silent. When that medical experiment was demonstrably seen to be injuring or killing huge numbers of people across the globe, most of the Church was at best silent.
As far as I can tell, too many Christians simply assumed that the state had both a medical need and a moral right to act as it did. On the first point, it was clear from the outset that those measures and restrictions were both unscientific and unnecessary, yet few in the church were willing to ask the questions that should have been asked. On the second point, the result was that the state assumed an authority that it simply does not possess to regulate what can and can’t be done in worship, with much of the church apparently happy to go along with this.
That the church responded in this way is troubling enough; that there seems to have been few lessons learned — much less repentance — is even more concerning. However, wherever there is mass conformity to totalitarianism, there will always be some who emerge to challenge it, rebuke it, and shine a light in the darkness. It thrills me to report that such a statement has now emerged which does just this.
The Frankfurt Declaration of Christian & Civil Liberties is a thoroughly biblical and sound theological response to the authoritarianism and folly that has been thrust upon us, and it will hopefully serve as something of a wake-up call to those sections of the Church which went along with what was undoubtedly the biggest mass propaganda event in the history of the world. The purpose of the Declaration is set out in the preamble as follows:
“A few concerned pastors from different continents, moved by an emergent totalitarianism of the State over all realms of society, and particularly the Church, and the disregard of God-given and constitutionally guaranteed rights during the Covid crisis, joined in common cause to craft a solemn declaration, which seeks to address these threats with the timeless truths of God’s Word. The following affirmations and denials, derived from biblical principles, we put forth for consideration by all Christians and relevant authorities, in the hope that this document will give light and strength for faithful witness to Jesus Christ in our day.”
The Declaration contains five short Articles, the gist of which I have attempted to summarise below:
Article 1: God the Creator as Sovereign Lawgiver and Judge
That God, not personal matter is the ultimate source of all things which means — amongst others things — that no earthly authority has the right to “define morality and require unconditional obedience to their citizens when contrary to his law”.
Article 2: God as the Source of Truth and the Role of Science
That the existence of the transcendent God is the basis for objective truth, and that science which seeks to discover this objective truth through the scientific method and debate should be endorsed, whilst that which seeks to assert truths on the basis of an alleged “scientific consensus”, which silences the concerns and objections of dissenting voices, and which uses fearmongering and propaganda to coerce people into submission to its dogmas should be rejected.
Article 3: Mankind as the Image of God
That humans are made in the Imago Dei, which means they have certain unalienable rights, such as the right to maintain in-person relationships, pursue lawful vocations, attend worship services, gather in public places, and be physically present at life events such as weddings and funerals, all of which the state has no authority to interfere in, nor to enforce medical coercion such as social distancing, mask mandates and vaccines.
Article 4: God-Given Mandates and the Limits of Authority
That the state’s God-given mandate is to reward good, punish evil, and to protect the God-given rights and freedoms granted to all people, and that any claim it might have to authority over all of life, including the other spheres of government which derive their authority from God (church and family), is totalitarian and must be rejected.
Article 5: Christ as the Head of the Church
That the Head of the Church is Jesus Christ, who alone governs and regulates essential acts of worship, such that any attempts to relegate worship to the area of non-essential, or to criminalise, inhibit or regulate acts of worship are to be rejected.
What particularly thrills me about this is that it is not just a “Christian” or “Church” Declaration in some narrow sense. Rather, it recognises God’s sovereignty over all of life, not just in matters pertaining to worship, but in things like the God-given right of every person to go about their lawful business unhindered; the God-given right to take our own medical decisions; and the God-given right to meet others in-person, face-to-face. Sadly, much of the Church has imbibed the notion that these issues are none of its business, since they are apparently not “Gospel issues”, yet the hindering of a person from opening their lawful business, for example, is actually a form of theft, and thus a “righteousness issue”, which is every bit the Church’s concern.
With the Globalist Elites moving on with their “You’ll own nothing and be happy” vision of the future, this theft and authoritarianism is set to continue and expand, and those who think we’re just going to revert to normal are not reading the narrative. There is more to come, and Christians need to be wise to it and know how to respond. This is why this Declaration is so timely and important, since it sets out the theological parameters for knowing how to understand and respond to what is happening.
This important and very well thought through Declaration can be read and signed here, and I hope that both Christians and non-Christians will take the time to read it. May it by used by God to give his people theological clarity, understanding of the times, and the resolve to stand fast in the face of the Godless Global Totalitarianism taking shape around us.
