Will Covid Kill the Churches?

---

On Friday, President Trump declared churches essential, as a federal court backed California's order to keep them shut. On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that houses of worship could reopen under certain conditions. Among them, attendance should be limited to 100 people or 25 percent of building capacity, whichever is lower, and collection plates should not be passed around. Well, passing the collection plate (full of germs) is the main reason for opening the church, right? What about the singers and chanters who spit? Not my opinion, but read the following: The Virus is Accelerating De-churching in AmericaThe Covid-19 pandemic has hammered churches of all sizes and denominations across America, The Economist writes. Incomes have plunged and cash reserves are dwindling. "In many the majority of worshippers are old; if a vaccine is not developed soon, or is less effective in the elderly, many may be reluctant to go to church in the future." Why it matters: there will be a significant reduction in the number of churches in America and accelerate the long-term decline in American religiosity. Only 45%!o(MISSING)f people attend church once or twice a month and only 20%!a(MISSING)ttend every Sunday.Catholic institutions may see the sharpest decline. "Successive clerical sex-abuse scandals have stopped many from going to mass or from going as regularly as they used ." This means their financial support has evaporated and many have been bankrupted by payouts to victims of abuse.So, I am sure for many of you astute readers and thinkers, this comes as no big surprise. Personally, I try to focus on the great charity work the churches perform. None of this is good, but much like the spectator sports scene, a realignment is needed to put the economy back into its proper perspective. Churches too!

---