God will have to give me much more patience….

This passage from Romans is trotted out countless times by Christian leaders, and infinitely more than this in recent weeks.  I will use as an example something offered by Becky Akers, who has been excellent on this topic of churches closing during this time.  She writes a piece entitled Lobbyists From Hell.

In it she cites, as one example out of…oh, I don't know…one-hundred thousand, a statement from the Joseph Council of the "Citizens for Community Values" of Columbus, Ohio.  The Joseph Council identifies as "an Evangelical and Catholic coalition of Christian leaders in Ohio."  Romans 13 is one of the "Scriptural Reflections" they offer as justification for closing houses of worship to God.