Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix responded Thursday to what appears to be a growing gulf between themselves and some members of the faith community concerning the messaging coming out of their COVID-19 briefings.
Reverend Aaron Dyck, of Gateway Baptist Church, has written an open letter to Dix in which he wrote he feels sa国际传媒渃ompelled as a faith leader to request that people of faith be given the respect that is so overtly presented to every other particular group in this great province.
sa国际传媒淭he constant condescension by Dr. Henry, purporting to tell us sa国际传媒榳hat faith issa国际传媒� and the endless patronization sa国际传媒� as if the government sa国际传媒榰nderstandssa国际传媒� anything at all about what constitutes faith itself, let alone its practice sa国际传媒� has long past worn thin,sa国际传媒� the reverend wrote.
Henrysa国际传媒檚 response to this Thursday was that she thinks people sometimes sa国际传媒渢ake what I say and twist it to make their own ideas about it.
sa国际传媒淚 have repeatedly said that I have taken advice and have had the privilege of speaking to many faith leaders in the last few months and I appreciate their advice immensely,sa国际传媒� she told the Now-Leader.
Henry said shesa国际传媒檚 learned a sa国际传媒渢remendous amountsa国际传媒� from faith leaders and has said on occasion what shesa国际传媒檚 been told about beliefs and about faith. sa国际传媒淎nd I do absolutely believe that we need our faith leaders in crises like these, more than ever before, and I really want to give my thanks and praise to the many, many leaders out there who have sent me their advice, their thinking, their thoughts, and the fact that they do understand we need to take measures to protect those that we care most about in our community right now.sa国际传媒�
Henry said she doesnsa国际传媒檛 purport to know everybodysa国际传媒檚 ideas about faith, but knows there are sa国际传媒済reat leaderssa国际传媒� in that community who are sa国际传媒渟tepping up every day and supporting the people they care about in their congregations and doing it in a safe way, and I just want salute them sa国际传媒� they have my gratitude, and my admiration.sa国际传媒�
In his letter to Dix, the reverend wrote, sa国际传媒淕ood sir, I beg you: at the risk of alienating permanently the approximately two million British Columbians who practise religion, at least stop pretending that there is somehow a virtual replacement for thousands of years of physical, incarnational ministry. Tell us this is wrong. Tell us this is not OK. Tell us this is, in fact, an evil, however necessary, and stop with the platitudes. We are in your corner, but cannot for much longer be told this sa国际传媒渋snsa国际传媒檛 a big dealsa国际传媒� when it comes to practising a faith more than a dozen times older than the nation of Canada itself.sa国际传媒�
What faith leaders would appreciate, Dyck told Dix, is sa国际传媒渟ome respect for what you have taken from us, the cost to our people, and an acknowledgment that nothing replaces what we have laid down in order to support you and your efforts.sa国际传媒�
The health ministersa国际传媒檚 response to the reverend is that the provincial government, since the outset of the pandemic, has listened to and reached out to hundreds of faith leaders across B.C. He admitted his idea of faith is not necessarily shared by everyone, but added that sa国际传媒淚 can tell Reverend Dyck that at our church, that wesa国际传媒檝e lost a lot of loved ones this year, including our minister, and the loss of being able to come together on Sunday has been profound for members of that congregation just as they have been for congregations around B.C.sa国际传媒�
Dix said hesa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒渙verwhelminglysa国际传媒� inspired by the work done by faith communities of all faiths and all denominations to support people in their communities during this difficult time.
sa国际传媒淎ll I can say is itsa国际传媒檚 not condescension, itsa国际传媒檚 gratitude that we feel for the support we get in our community, wherever we find it,sa国际传媒� Dix told the Now-Leader. sa国际传媒淎nd for many people, thatsa国际传媒檚 in communities of faith. So, wesa国际传媒檙e with you and wesa国际传媒檙e asking you to join us in helping in this period to help heal, heal ourselves physically, and protect ourselves and our good health, and also stay healed and stay better as a community.
sa国际传媒淚 think Dr. Henry has been unbelievably respectful,sa国际传媒� Dix said in her defence. sa国际传媒淚 so admire her approach when she talks about kindness, which is at the core I think of many faithssa国际传媒� views as well. She lives that every day and Isa国际传媒檓 so, so proud to stand with her and I just so disagree with the criticism that came in the letter.sa国际传媒�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
Like us on and follow Tom on
