By now, most people in Alberta and across our country are aware of the situation regarding Pastor James Coates, who was arrested for failing to comply with the Alberta public health orders and COVID-19 regulations.  If you aren’t aware, see here and here.  Naturally, this is a highly debated and emotional situation, and people are in stark disagreement.  In his sermon preached on February 14, 2021, Pastor Coates mentioned that people openly wish for his death, a sad reality of the polarization we are currently dealing with in our society.  I know a few people in Via have followed this story closely and with mixed feelings, some with admiration, while others with frustration and have asked for our thoughts as a church.

Before I address the sermon directly, I want to acknowledge my respect for Pastor Coates in his willingness to stand up for what he believes in, even to the point of being jailed.  As I listened to him, I did not doubt that he would be willing to die for his faith and the Gospel.  Indeed, this is worth admiring and is undoubtedly something that many Christians worldwide face regularly, especially our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world, some of whom are Via's missionaries in Kenya.  Furthermore, this is a quality that all Christians must be ready to have.  We must all be prepared to stand firm for the Gospel, willing to give our lives if required.  

However, I don't believe that Pastor Coates' convictions on this matter are biblical or appropriate to the situation we currently find ourselves in Alberta.  

First and foundationally is the reality that Pastor Coates denies that we are in a pandemic as stated on the homepage of the church's website (https://gracelife.ca).  Naturally, if there is no pandemic, there is no need for the government to intervene and infringe upon our lives.  Unquestionably, this global crisis is highly contested.  Some medical professionals would agree that COVID-19 is not as severe as communicated; however, most of the medical and scientific community would agree that the situation we find ourselves in is significant.  Nevertheless, early on in the pandemic, we spoke with people in the medical and scientific profession, heard their genuine concerns, and recognized that as pastors and theologians, we are not adequately equipped to evaluate these disparaging medical and scientific opinions.  Accordingly, we have determined to trust that the government and public health officials in Canada and Alberta genuinely have our best interest in mind and are not merely avoiding 'political suicide,' as Pastor Coates asserts in his sermon. 

Secondly, what has commonly been claimed is that the government is not allowing Pastor Coates to preach or his church to gather.  However, this is patently false.  In no way has the government of Alberta infringed upon our ability to preach the Gospel.  In fact, they are encouraging us to preach more by holding additional services and broadcasting the glorious message of the Gospel online.  I'm preaching more than I did before COVID and reaching people who wouldn't have heard our sermons before, including the unchurched due to Facebook post sharing.  Categorically this is not the government infringing on our ability to proclaim the Gospel.  Furthermore, we are allowed to gather in Alberta, albeit at 15% capacity, which for us is roughly 100 people per service.  Although our gatherings are different, we are not denied the freedom to worship together or preach the Gospel.  

Pastor Coates addressed his congregation before his arrest in a sermon titled 'Directing Government to its Duty,' where he preached from Romans 13:1-4, and there are a couple of things worth noting about the sermon.  First, in the sermon, Pastor Coates states, as the title implies, that "the church, of all institutions, has this obligation, to call the government to its God-ordained duty.”  Yet, nowhere in the writings of the New Testament is this ever communicated as the call of the Church. Moreover, not only is it not said, it is out of step with the overarching teaching of Scripture about how the Church should relate to the government, which is to show honor (1 Pet 2:17), to pray for (1 Tim 2:1-2), and to submit (Rom 13:1).   Pastor Coates also feels that submission to the government should only be insofar as the government is governing in a godly way, which would be incredibly easy, and is especially compelling for anyone who doesn't want to submit to their governing leaders.  However, it utterly misses the point of these epistles!  The New Testament was written under the rule of a tyrannical and highly oppressive regime!  Naturally, Paul was not writing this appeal to call the Church to obey the government because it was doing godly things.  Of course, this isn't the case.  It was written precisely for the opposite reason.  Paul is writing because he understood that Christians were struggling under the governing of Rome, who infringed upon their lives. These were the same Romans who persecuted Christians, built pagan temples, and grossly devalued human life.  

Paul writes to the Romans (vv.1-2), "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Therefore whoever resists these authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."  

Paul's point is not that Christians get an 'out' from submission if the government isn't godly, but that it is incumbent upon Christians, especially, to submit to the government.  Why? Because God stands behind these authorities.  Nevertheless, submission and obedience are not synonymous in New Testament writing, and there are times where compliance is not possible, but, generally speaking, submission to authority will produce the heart posture by which one obeys what governing authorities require of its citizens.  Further, verse two makes it evident that if we resist, we are resisting God and will bring judgment upon ourselves in resisting these authorities.  Pastor Coates interpreted this as a judgment from the government (i.e., imprisonment); however, this isn't consistent with Paul's train of thought, which is to be understood as a judgment and condemnation by God (for further reading, see Moo, NICNT, 800).  

Verses 4 and 5 clarify this further, "for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience."  If verse 2 was referencing judgment from the government, Paul affirms that they would be carrying out God's wrath on the wrongdoer on his behalf.  Thus, we must have a posture of submission to avoid wrath, but also for our own conscience, which informs our knowledge and understanding of God's will and the way he providentially orders his world and its authorities. 

As aforementioned, Pastor Coates taught from Romans 13:1-4, which I believe was misapplied, but he also ignored the broader scope of Scripture.  A significant thrust in the sermon was the idea of the preservation of our 'rights'. Indeed, human rights are essential, and we have been incredibly blessed to live in a country where we are given such freedom.  But what is the response of a Christian when our rights are infringed upon?  In Matthew 5, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus powerfully challenges his followers, saying,  

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matt 5:38-41).  

In the first exhortation (v.38), Jesus refers to a judicial process that removes the response to injustice out of the individual's hands and into the hands of governing authorities.  But for the Christian, Jesus takes it a step further, calling us to a selfless attitude that not only doesn't retaliate but doesn't resist, even when it is their legal right to do so.  He then continues in verse 41, saying, "And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles," this is an essential and relevant verse for the situation in which we find ourselves today.  

The saying is referring to a grievance of the occupied people under the thumb of the Roman empire. At any point, a Roman soldier had the right to order any member of the subjected population into forced labor.  Typically, the people were asked to carry the equipment of the soldier - their enemy.  It did not matter what the person was doing, walking, resting, working, playing, enjoying time with family, etc., they were forced to stop what they were doing, and having their rights infringed upon, carry the equipment of the oppressor.  Needless to say, this was a despised practice.  Yet, Jesus commands them not just to carry the weapons of oppression one mile, but two.  To go above and beyond to serve the enemy. 

 If we granted for a moment that being asked to wear a mask was oppressive this would be akin to saying, "if anyone forces you to wear one mask, put on two."

Again, we need to remember the context of the New Testament, which was written under subjugation, to help the Church respond appropriately to oppression.  Holy Scripture consistently calls for submission, honor, to go above and beyond - not merely in service of man but also God.   

So when is there a time to disobey the government?   

St. Augustine, writing on Romans 13, provides a great principle, which is essentially this:  We are comprised of body and soul, and in this life, we make use of temporal things and spiritual things.  Regarding the world and the body, we submit to our authorities, but as far as things of the eternal soul, we submit to God, and not any man who seeks to overturn the things of God.  

So, are masks, social distancing, and gathering restrictions concerning eternity or the flesh?  They are things of the flesh.  However, the Sacraments (especially baptism and the Eucharist) and the preaching of the Gospel - these are things of the soul, and something we as a church have never been willing to cease - even when they did not cleanly fit within public health regulations.  We stood publicly on the street, offering the Holy Sacrament and prayer, while our gathering was temporarily virtual.  In this discussion, Hebrews 10:25 is regularly quoted, which says we shouldn't neglect "to meet together, as is the habit of some.”  The author of Hebrews isn't addressing extenuating circumstances like a global health crisis (or its potential).  They are addressing those who habitually skip church to prioritize, selfishly, staying home, or prioritizing hobbies, etc.  Those who do not value the corporate gathering of the people of God.  Furthermore, at this point, we are not told we can't meet, but our mode of gathering has adapted.  Is it as enjoyable? No.  Is it permanent? Also, no.  

As Christians, we must live between the tension of these realities.  We are called to submit to the governing authorities, even if we disagree, but there may come a point where we cannot submit, and it can be a problematic tension to navigate.  The same Apostle Peter who said, "be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good.  For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people" (1 Pet. 2:13-15), also continued to preach the Gospel against the direct orders of the ruling authorities (Acts 4-5).

 Accordingly, I think St. Augustine's sentiments are wise.  Are the regulations of a government a matter of our eternal souls or a matter of the flesh?  If concerning the flesh, we honor God by honoring our leaders; if a consequence to our eternal soul, we honor God and humbly stand for him, regardless of what comes our way.  

As I said earlier, I respect Pastor Coates, and I appreciate his willingness to stand for what he believes in, and he and our government need our prayer.  Still, when I look at the whole of the New Testament, Pastor Coates has misplaced his fervor, sadly misinterpreting the Scriptures, and accordingly, his situation has wrongly been called persecution. 

Unquestionably this situation is tragic and deeply concerning.  However, the Church in Alberta is not being targeted for our religious beliefs or convictions.  Instead, only for disobedience to the law and, thus, to God.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Stephen