To prevent further spreading of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) requests that citizens consider “social distancing” when interacting with others. In the context of faith-based groups, many religious leaders embraced the government’s recommendations by forcing parishioners to maintain a distance of six-feet through out their assembly and by encouraging parishioners who are experiencing illness to not attend the service. Many critics argue that the church’s compliance to this mandate is absurd, because attendees should freely enter and move as they desire.
Therefore, should the rule of “social distancing” apply to religious assemblies? Why should these faith-based groups receive an exemption to this mandate?
