Dear Friends,
Much of the talk this past week has been to do with the development of a vaccine to combat Covid-19; especially the progress being made by scientists at Oxford University. Of course, we cannot get ahead of ourselves. It will be, at best, many months from now before the general public will have access to mass produced vaccination but nevertheless it is good to know that the efforts of those engaged in this work are beginning to bear fruit. They deserve every encouragement we can give them, not least in our prayers, that they would remain committed to the cause however many setbacks they may encounter. And we in turn have to be patient, safe in the knowledge that what can be done is being done, as effectively and efficiently as it can be…
…Indeed, scientists have played a prominent role in guiding us through this difficult time. They have sought to give us the best advice they could based on the information available to them. Sometimes it turns out that the information used was not as accurate as it might have been, but that does not mean they did not act in good faith at the time…
…But the scientists are not, in the end, the decision makers. That is the role of Govt. Whatever our political inclination, we are bound to acknowledge that these last few months have imposed a strain on our elected officials unlike any experienced previously in peace time. It is easy to criticise. Hindsight is a great gift, and is invariably blessed with 20/20 vision. No doubt mistakes were made, but that is because we are human, and none of us is perfect. Politicians too, are deserving of our ongoing prayerful support…
…Science; that area of life that religion has for so long found itself to be in conflict with. Many have done a grace disservice to the Church by their infantile attitude to anything scientific; the Christian equivalent of the ‘flat-earth’ society is alive, well and flourishing in certain parts of the world. Far from compromising our faith in a Creator, science has revealed to us the sheer enormity, complexity, harmony and beauty that is at the heart of the creation. Now is not the time to turn our backs on the science of our times…
…And as for politics. Too often politicians appear to manipulate the scientific agenda for selfish, self-serving, albeit seemingly well-meaning ends. That is why it is crucial that as Christians we engage, politically; allowing our voice to be heard, doing as best we can to ensure that, for instance, those who need to benefit from the good work that science is capable of delivering get what they deserve. Especially at a time like this…
…So, pray for the scientific community, & the political class…because we ought to…
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