Pandemic restrictions don’t infringe on right to faith, say some Manitoba religious leaders – CBC

7 Manitoba churches are challenging the province’s COVID-19-related public health orders in court

May 07, 2021

As a group of seven churches are challenging Manitoba’s public health restrictions in court this week, saying they violate religious freedoms, many faith leaders are pushing back at that notion, saying they don’t feel the same way.

“I’ve heard a lot of other fellow Christians say that this doesn’t really represent most of us in Manitoba, and most of us in southern Manitoba, in terms of how we feel about these things,” said Michael Pahl, executive minister of Mennonite Church Manitoba, an association of more than 30 congregations.

The churches involved in the court challenge argue the lockdown measures are unjustified violations of Charter-protected freedoms of religion, expression and peaceful assembly.

Since early on in the pandemic, various restrictions have been imposed on indoor gatherings in Manitoba — either banning them completely or imposing capacity limits — which has affected religious gatherings.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/religious-leaders-rights-pandemic-restrictions-1.6016886