Faith Commons

By George Mason and Garrett Vickrey

Mark Twain put it pithily: “It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races.” The novel coronavirus is not, however, a horse race. Opinions may differ, but we should not be indifferent to the consequences that flow from them.

Ethicist David Gushee’s opinion piece this week set off a firestorm on social media. He argued that it may be time for churches to reopen, despite the potential dangers of the spread of COVID-19. The reaction was at turns personal and principled. Little of it was nuanced. Some criticized Baptist New Global for publishing a piece that seemed contrary to the ideology of its constituency. But a truly Baptist news service provides a public forum to make a case that may dissent from popular opinion, and then also allows responses like this one.

Read the article on Baptist News Global.