As of this writing, the clergy, employees and volunteers have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to perform their duties in the Diocese of Toronto:
Effective September 30, 2021, any employee, member of the clergy or volunteer who attends at a workplace must show proof of being vaccinated with two doses of a vaccine or combination of vaccines approved by Health Canada, with the second dose having been administered at least two weeks prior to the in-person attendance.
Wardens will have the unenviable job of demanding that those hapless enough to still volunteer in the diocese show their papers. The wardens are also responsible for snitching on recalcitrant malcontents. Does anyone foresee an impending shortage of people willing to be a warden?
Employees, Volunteers, and Honorary Assistants are only to show their proof to the Churchwardens of the parish. This responsibility cannot be delegated to the Deputy Churchwardens, other Employees or Volunteers.
Churchwardens are to visibly verify the proof of vaccination or negative test in person or via video chat (i.e. Teams, FaceTime, or Zoom) and record on a confidential tracking sheet. Those with proof of exemption are to submit it in writing to the Churchwardens as outlined in section 1.C. COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy
The Churchwardens are also required to follow up with those who have not submitted proof and implement appropriate next steps for those not in compliance with this policy.
There are those in the diocese who believe that this does not go far enough. They would prefer the unclean to be kept out altogether:
After much discussion, the bishops and diocesan leadership have decided not to require proof of vaccination to attend worship in an Anglican church in this Diocese. I’ve heard that some of you aren’t comfortable returning to in-person worship alongside potentially unvaccinated people, and I know this may disappoint you.
As I was ruminating on all this, a novel I read many years ago came to mind: it is “Erewhon” by Samuel Butler.
In it, Butler tells of an imaginary country where crime is regarded as an illness and disease as a crime. It used to seem a little far-fetched, but less so now. The unvaccinated, the potentially diseased, are to be shunned – have they fallen into the “evil” category yet? – whereas the church now provides a safe injection facility for those taking hard drugs, an activity that used to be illegal.
And male clergy have sex with each other, another activity that used to be illegal. Not all of them, admittedly. Not yet.
Update: The Diocese of Huron has the same vaccine mandatory vaccine rules in place. I expect most if not all other Anglican dioceses do too – or soon will.
Apart from the issue of vaccines per se, the problems with this policy lie in how it is being applied, and how it compounds the problems of other diocese policies. As with a law, a need for it does not mean the law will automatically be well designed. And this policy is not. Even among people who support vaccination mandates there is strong concern.
First, it cuts out people who are not fully vaccinated from continuing their service past Friday October 1 when it takes effect. Second, there was no time for such people or those who depend on them to make alternative arrangements. Noe was there even a mention of the problem. Third, the administrative burden on already overstressed wardens. Forth, and this is one of the risible parts of the policy, it even covers gardeners and people who have off-site roles. Fifth, Not to mention volunteers who were vaccine-hesitant service-users whose lives depend on the structure and meaning their volunteering gives them. Gone. In a stroke. This is a particular problem.
Sixth, the interaction with already highly restrictive policies on singing and youth choirs mean these will be out in the cold. How pathetic a policy is that for the Anglican Church, of all places, with its choral tradition?
I haven’t even mentioned the lazy theology behind the policy that equates vaccination with loving one’s neighbours, regardless of any of the vaccine concerns discussed here.
It almost seems as if the diocese of Toronto has realised the only influence it has with anybody over anything is to hand down such policies from on high. Which is fine as a case study in bureaucratic self-care and self-interest, but a travesty of guidance and leadership.
Surely the diocese isn’t trying to bring forward its zero-emissions target of 2040 by ensuring there is no-one, and no need, to turn on the lights?
Full disclosure: I volunteer in onsite roles and my wife is a warden.
It is a challenging time for all congregations in all churches regardless of denominations. COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon. The fact that fully-vaccinated people with no symptoms can still unknowingly infect others is a great concern. International and domestic travels remain risky for all. For example, Atlantic Canada has done so well in limiting the spread of the virus until the end of August. Now, perhaps because of the summer travels and less restrictions, their active cases are unacceptably high since the beginning of the pandemic. Does it mean there are no safe places in Canada? We don’t all want to be in the current situation in Alberta. The Toronto policy is far from perfect. No doubt, it will give the churchwardens a lot of headaches. There are no easy solutions. I wish I could have something valuable to contribute to the discussion of how to deal with the virus adequately. Lord, have mercy upon us!
“The fact that fully-vaccinated people with no symptoms can still unknowingly infect others…”
Exactly. This makes obliged vaccination for preventing transmission misguided.
Much better to get free rapid tests from the government and all clergy and volunteers take one every Sunday morning before they gather. I work in a business where we do this 2x per week and it’s quick and easy.
If transmission in church is the concern, knowing if you are carrying the virus is more important than if you received your 2nd vaccination 5 months ago.
The rapid COVID-19 test can work if everybody attending worship is willing to do it every time he/she attends church.
Not every person who is diagnosed with the Coof actually has it. The PCR test is flawed that it produces a 90-per-cent false positive rate. Even the man who invented it, Dr. Kary Mullis, said it shouldn’t be used in this regard.
So, all these “cases” are not necessary clinical.