On March 31, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced in-person religious services as an essential business, even though he has advised social distancing and enforced limits on large social gatherings. Religious services are not essential services and undermine the shelter-in-place rules established to prevent a deadly virus.
Essential businesses are supposed to be jobs that serve as a vital function for society, such as grocery stores, hospitals and construction. However, the definition varies by state and shelter-in-place laws, which creates an inconsistent handling approach of the pandemic.
Despite warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and other medical experts urging people to stay home and practice social distancing, Abbott still deemed religious services as an essential business. Austin Mayor Steve Adler and other officials were even surprised at this announcement and worry this might undermine the severity of social distancing rules.
Organized religions need to understand that their services are not immune to a virus that has been rapidly spreading across the country. Allowing these groups to congregate in-person will bring temporary comfort and detrimental consequences
On March 30, a Republican activist and three pastors filed a petition in Harris County with the Texas Supreme Court, arguing the stay-at-home order violated the Constitution. As of April 5, Harris County reported the highest number of coronavirus, or COVID-19, cases in Texas, with 1,284 cases and 17 deaths.
Organized religions have wrongfully incited the First Amendment in order to keep religious services essential. Services can easily continue digitally.
A closure of religious services is meant to protect the community, not restrict free speech. At a time that is bringing mass disruption, no one should be ignorant or selfish.
Michigan, Louisiana and New York are currently leading hot spots of the virus in the United States. However, Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, predicts Texas will be the next hot spot, as experts start to see an exponential rise in cases.
Jared Woodfill, the attorney for the pastors who filed the petition in Harris County, noted that many churches have wanted to join in the lawsuit and will continue with their services, especially with the Easter holiday coming up.
Allowing religious services to meet in large groups during the Easter holiday will inevitably increase the potential spread of the virus. Texas will soon be at the top of the list of COVID-19 cases and deaths, unless serious action is taken. Clarifying that church gatherings are not essential would be a good start.
Across the country, many cases of COVID-19 have reportedly spread because of religious services meeting in-person. In late February, a D.C. priest performed communion for a service of more than 500 people and ended up with the virus, later spreading it to others. In March, several cases of COVID-19 were traced back to a Kansas City church that held a minister conference.
Additionally, as religious groups are opting for online services, some are still being hosted in-person around Texas. Some are arguing that in-person services are integral for their worship; others say they lack the resources for online services.
James Buntrock, an associate pastor at Glorious Way Church in north Houston, said that they will try to follow the social distancing rules but will continue to hold services to accommodate church members. Religion does not exempt people from following rules that can make a difference between life or death.
Abbott needs to reestablish essential businesses to decrease the risk of an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases. Religious leaders also need to set aside their pride and realize that in-person services do not reign importance in a pandemic.
People can freely worship from home during this induced quarantine. Right now, the priority of everyone, especially Gov. Abbott, should be staying home to flatten the curve. The more reckless decisions are made, the longer we will stay in these conditions.
-Delilah Alvarado is a journalism senior