– Advertisement –

The Gospel Coalition Defends Persecution by Canadian Government

by | May 5, 2021 | News, Opinion, The Church | 0 comments

✪ Read this article ad-free and leave comments here on Substack

We’ve been arguing for years that The Gospel Coalition (TGC) has abandoned the gospel — but it’s usually in favor of some form of social justice activism. There is a lot of useless debate on whether or not it is acceptable for churches to put off weekly assembly during this largely overblown coronavirus scandal that is still taking over the world right now. While some have argued that to neglect the assembly for any reason is serious treason against God while others have argued that we, as the Church, must submit to Caesar.

The Gospel Coalition, however, has repeatedly argued in favor of government-sponsored persecution. In the wake of a trial for Canadian pastor, James Coates, who was obedient to God and continued to hold worship services despite the fact that the government imposed draconian measures on the church to keep it shut down, The Gospel Coalition defends the government’s actions.

In an article titled Persecution, Birth Pang or Pruning? How Should We Interpret This Pandemic?, Paul Carter argues that the actions specifically imposed on this church against the church’s bona fide religious beliefs are, in fact, not persecution.

At certain points in our journey with COVID19 the various protocols and safety measures prescribed by the government may have felt to some Christians like a form of state persecution. After all, many churches were forced to temporarily suspend their main large group gatherings and normal Christian activities such as singing, taking communion and sharing a meal together were either strongly discouraged or forbidden outright.

Doesn’t that qualify as persecution?

It certainly qualifies as unusual hardship, but in most cases it probably did not rise to the level of formal persecution. Persecution is typically defined as, “hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs.” Is that the best way to understand what we’ve experienced, over the last 14 months?

It wouldn’t seem so.

With a few potential exceptions, the majority of the protocols we’ve had to deal with here in North America appear to have been enacted in the interests of public health. Has there been incompetence? Surely. Have there been missteps? Certainly. Has there been overreach? Probably. But has there been hostility and ill-treatment because of our religious beliefs?

No.

I’m not sure how any reasonable person could argue that.

Join Us and Get These Perks:

✅ No Ads in Articles
✅ Access to Comments and Discussions
✅ Community Chats
✅ Full Article and Podcast Archive
✅ The Joy of Supporting Our Work 😉



Well, here’s how you can argue that–God commands Christians to assemble. It’s not optional. Going to a gym is optional. Going to a restaurant is optional. Going to a barbershop is optional. But Christians assembling together for corporate worship is not optional.

“…not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” –Hebrews 10:25

Let’s be clear, the Canadian government is absolutely targeting Christian churches. It is Christian churches that they know present the most political threat to their own power. There is absolutely no evidence that Coates’ church–or any other church in Canada–has significantly contributed to any spread of the coronavirus. And even if it did, meeting is still not optional, albeit extra precautions may have needed to be taken. The Canadian government is acting exactly like the Chinese government and The Gospel Coalition is supporting this. This should speak volumes about this useless organization.

Three Ways to Support DISNTR


The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕
Make a Dogecoin Donation

- Advertisement -

Latest

UCC Priest Turns the Incarnation Into Pro-Abortion Propaganda

UCC Priest Turns the Incarnation Into Pro-Abortion Propaganda

From Caleb Lines’ latest sermon: Mary gets to choose and Mary chooses to carry the Messiah. Mary says, let it be in the story, which means that Mary is afforded a choice that so many people in our society today are no longer afforded. The biblical call is to increased...

Ancient Aliens and Starseed Children?

Ancient Aliens and Starseed Children?

I indulged myself in a few episodes of Ancient Aliens on YouTube over the weekend—not because I buy into it, but because I find it fascinating to see the great lengths people will go to try to make sense of our existence and the world we live in. Something I found...

Long Time Charismatic Cult Leader, Jimmy Swaggart, Dies at 90

Long Time Charismatic Cult Leader, Jimmy Swaggart, Dies at 90

Jimmy Swaggart, the once-celebrated televangelist whose legacy is as stained by scandal as it is by airwaves, has died at the age of 90. According to multiple reports, Swaggart passed away on July 1, 2025, following complications from cardiac arrest he suffered two...

- Advertisement -

Subscribe

Store

Follow Us

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

You Might Also Like…

Remembering the Legacy of John MacArthur, the Polemicist

Remembering the Legacy of John MacArthur, the Polemicist

He was the last of a dying breed—a pastor who not only knew what he believed, but believed what he knew. John Fullerton MacArthur Jr., born in 1939, didn’t just walk into history; he stormed in like a theological tempest. While most pastors today tiptoe through the...

UCC Priest Turns the Incarnation Into Pro-Abortion Propaganda

UCC Priest Turns the Incarnation Into Pro-Abortion Propaganda

From Caleb Lines’ latest sermon: Mary gets to choose and Mary chooses to carry the Messiah. Mary says, let it be in the story, which means that Mary is afforded a choice that so many people in our society today are no longer afforded. The biblical call is to increased...

Ancient Aliens and Starseed Children?

Ancient Aliens and Starseed Children?

I indulged myself in a few episodes of Ancient Aliens on YouTube over the weekend—not because I buy into it, but because I find it fascinating to see the great lengths people will go to try to make sense of our existence and the world we live in. Something I found...

Long Time Charismatic Cult Leader, Jimmy Swaggart, Dies at 90

Long Time Charismatic Cult Leader, Jimmy Swaggart, Dies at 90

Jimmy Swaggart, the once-celebrated televangelist whose legacy is as stained by scandal as it is by airwaves, has died at the age of 90. According to multiple reports, Swaggart passed away on July 1, 2025, following complications from cardiac arrest he suffered two...

They Don’t Just Love Death—They Feast on It

They Don’t Just Love Death—They Feast on It

There was a time, not all that long ago, when even the most enthusiastic child sacrifice apologists would at least pretend to mourn the “need” for the right to murder their child. “Safe, legal, and rare,” they chanted in their tailored suits and sterilized sound...

- Advertisement -

Want to go ad-free with exclusive content? Subscribe today.
Already a subscriber? Click Here

This will close in 0 seconds

Three Ways to Support DISNTR



The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

 

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕

This will close in 0 seconds