Covid-19 and the "Ezekiel Declaration"

 

The "Ezekiel Declaration" is a statement signed by over 2,500 Australian church leaders.

David Ould and Murray Campbell have critiqued the declaration here.

As a Reformed, Evangelical Christian, here are a series of assumptions that I personally hold to about Covid-19 and the current debate about mask mandates, lockdowns, mandatory vaccinations and "vaccination passports."

1. Covid-19 is a deadly disease that has spread around the world and killed approximately 4.5 million people (September 2021).

2. That world governments have attempted to limit the spread of the disease through a series of measures including mask mandates, lockdowns and vaccination requirements.

3. That these requirements are a legitimate exercise of government power for the overall welfare of their citizens.

4. That government statistical measurements of Covid reporting and health outcomes are mostly accurate.

5. That while some dissension may exist, health experts have a consensus view on the most important Covid issues.

6. That confusion about Covid and government mitigation policies is rife among the population, which includes Christians and Christian leaders.

7. That a series of vaccines have been developed to prevent Covid infections by various pharmaceutical companies who, while motivated by profit, are nevertheless effective.

8. That the vaccinations are not the "Mark of the Beast".

9. That the Bible, written by the Holy Spirit, contains all that is necessary for Christians to know about God and live the Christian life. (2 Timothy 3.16-17)

10. That the Christian church should see obedience to government in Romans 13 and Titus 3.1-2 as a non-negotiable rule that God has laid down to follow.

11. That any disobedience to government laws can only be justified when Christians are coerced into breaking God's laws.

12. That mask mandates, lockdowns, mandatory vaccinations and vaccination passports are exercises of government power that do not coerce Christians into disobeying God.

13. That the church in Western nations, like the US and Australia, faces nowhere near the opposition that Christians faced in the first century from the government and society of the Roman Empire; and that in the midst of this opposition, Paul wrote Romans 13 and Titus 3.1-2.

14. That while legitimate debate can be had about government policies in a free society, Christians should maintain an attitude of obedience throughout.

15. That a modern, free egalitarian society is not the result of Christendom, but upon the influence of enlightenment thinkers re-examining ancient Greek philosophy.