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Alongside the Enlightenment, a mature understanding of the individual emerged. Freedom as a right of the sovereign individual became a pillar to understand how states ought to work. Individuals consented to be governed by a vote.
This basic liberal idea might be captured by John Locke’s affirmation of the individual’s right to life, liberty, and property; or in the USA’s declaration of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The story of fear over the past two years cuts in more than one direction: fear of the pandemic and of government overreach.
In both cases, responses unveil a sort of anxious energy which the Gospel itself can and does qualm.
I suppose that’s why I think Gospel centrality makes sense (and it’s biblical). Perfect love, the Spirit abiding in us, means I neither ultimately fear death by the virus nor death of freedom by the government.
[Read more…] about Living in Fear of Virus and of GovernmentMany Canadians have reached out to their church to sign a religious exemption form for vaccines. These requests have suddenly come to many churches and possibly organizations, and I know that pastors and churches are working through their responses.
As a contribution to that discussion, I want to name a number of occasions where I would not sign a religious exemption form. While this article won’t answer every question, I hope it helps you think through the question in your setting. [Read more…] about When You Should not Sign Religious Exemption Forms
Before 2020, people generally considered vaccines to be a mundane tool of medicine. School children in Ontario are required to have a whole set of vaccines. Travellers had to be immunized to visit certain countries. I myself had to take a host of vaccines to immigrate to the USA. I did not feel at the time that the USA infringed upon my personal liberty.
Fast track to 2021. Vaccines now are widely controversial. In the USA, I have observed that part of the controversy involves political differences. But there are also medical and epidemiological reasons too. For example, some believe that natural immunity is better than vaccine immunity. In Canada, the controversy has less heat and seems to centre on the idea of vaccine passports. People feel that if they decide not to vaccinate, then they should have equal freedom to visit restaurants as those who are vaccinated.
I will say a few things about this below, but my point here is to explore the question of whether or not vaccines are good. I do not intend to discuss every point of controversy that surrounds the use or non-use of vaccines. I primarily want to ask and answer the question of whether or not vaccines in general are natural goods.
In short, here is my argument. No one should be forced to take a vaccine, but everyone should recognize the natural good that medicine is. “The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding” (Isa 28:26). By the light of nature, he teaches the medical researcher too. [Read more…] about Are Vaccines Good?
People seek “the truth.” Religions claim to know it. Philosophies seek it. Spiritual persons think they have reached it or will reach it. Some people of course think truth in this absolute way is impossible to find. Even so, the average person assumes we can comprehend truth. They trust doctors to know the brain; engineers to build a safe building; and against the narrative of a post-truth age, people frequently affirm they can know the truth—even if they call it “my truth.”
But we cannot comprehend truth. No one can. More specifically, no human can comprehend truth, but we can apprehend the truth when we receive it as a gift. [Read more…] about Can We Know Absolute Truth?
