Much ado about reopening

No small fuss is being made over the guidelines issued by the government, for reopening worship centres. Some faith leaders have shown no subtlety in expressing their displeasure over the guidelines.The thing about compulsory face mask is not syncing with some people at all.

I think as faith leaders, we need to be creative in designing a liturgy that will be compliant with the guidelines for reopening worship centres. If we must gather in the open, we must do so creatively and responsibly.

In fact, we should have been proactive in thinking up ideas of amenable worship formulae, as suggestions to the government. Liturgy involves people. We should think about the safety and health of people in the way we regather.

If the church reopens without effecting safe measures, in preventing a contagion, and a crisis ensues, leaders and indeed the church, won't be able to handle the negative press, embarrassment and crackdown that will follow. We can't afford to be a nuisance to public health.

Experts have warned that singing is a “super-spreader.” According to a 2019 report published in the scientific journal, Nature,  particle emission is correlated with the amplitude of vocalization—or loudness—so singing releases more particles than other types of speech or breathing. It even spreads the virus more than coughing.

We don't have to do worship with singing, or raising our voices. We can have solemn assemblies, with the accompaniment of keyboard instruments. Our sermons can be pre recorded and projected on screens. Praying can be done without talking. Worship is not in the physical postures or displays. Worship is equally not in the theatrics that we are known to associate with worshipping. 

After all, Christians, in places where public worship is restricted or outrightly proscribed, have been worshipping God in spite of, long before Covid-19. And they are no less a Christian than we are. They got creative given their situation, understanding that worship is a relationship and a lifestyle.

Worship is sacrosanct, but liturgy is a social construct. We can always moderate or modify our liturgy. Like I have reiterated in my other posts, the current situation may also be an opportunity to strengthen small groups gathering.

As civic leaders navigate through the coronavirus crisis, in making life safer and bearable for the citizenry, faith leaders should be part of the solution, not the problem.