MP criticised after saying churches should open for Easter

A Tory MP has triggered a backlash on social media after saying that churches should be open for private prayer over the Easter weekend. 

Churches across the country are shuttered as part of the lockdown, with the Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this week reinforcing the message to keep doors closed over Easter. 

Jack Lopresti, Tory MP for Filton and Bradley, wrote to cabinet minister Robert Jenrick this week asking for a "temporary relaxation of restrictions" to allow people to attend church for private prayer while observing social distancing. 

"If the Government allows for me to go to an off-licence, a takeaway, or a local shop on Easter Sunday, providing I observe social distancing or take other necessary precautions, why can I not go to Church and say a prayer, providing I do the same?" he wrote. 

Church leaders and Christians were among those responding on Twitter to say they would be sticking with the official guidance. 

The Bishop of Chelmsford, Stephen Cottrell said: "The thing is this: in order to buy food I have to go to the supermarket (unless I am fortunate enough to be able to get it delivered) but God always does a door-to-door service – from God's heart straight to my heart, wherever I am."

Stephen Chaudhary, pastor of the River of Life Christian Centre near Bristol, said: "I'd love to agree, but if the evidence we hear is correct, maybe not this time. Hopefully we will see you at an Easter service next year. All the best and stay safe Jack." 

Gareth Wallace, former head of the Conservative Christian Fellowship and now head of policy at World Vision, said: "I will be joining my church online and then taking my one hour of exercise as an Easter prayer walk from my flat in Stockwell along the River to St Thomas's to say a prayer for the PM. I would love to be able to enter a church building but am happy to #StayHomeSaveLives." 

Other Christians disagree with the extent of the lockdown measures on churches. 

Rev James Paice, vicar of St Luke's Wimbledon Park, told the Telegraph he would be going into his church on Easter Sunday.

"If people can go to supermarkets and get food and stand less than two metres apart from others, then why can't clergy go into an empty building on their own?" he said. 

"The advice that clergy should get shopping but not enter their buildings alone to minister online elevates the humanistic and practical above the spiritual."

He added: "I've been going every Sunday to a room in my church. Ever since the lockdown I have been doing it, and I will do it at 10.30am on Easter Sunday. Other clergy are doing it from the main body of church."

The former Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali said he believed the closure of churches was a "mistake". 

"It is such a pity that churches, and other places of worship, are not open for prayer," he said.

"If it is true that church leaders themselves requested that they be closed down, now is the time to undo this mistake. Going to church is not the same as going to a pub or a football match.

"Provided that safe distancing is possible and is maintained, this is exactly the time when people will feel the need to go in and be quiet and, perchance, to pray for themselves or a loved one or even the situation as a whole.

"Why is this any more dangerous than shopping in a supermarket or travelling on the London Underground?"