More than 120 church leaders take legal action against UK government lockdown

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Over 120 UK church leaders are launching a legal challenge against the British government for what they describe as an “unlawful” COVID-19 ban on worship services, the Christian Post reports. Britain has been placed back under a second lockdown until December 2, with over 1.3 million coronavirus cases and more than 51,000 COVID-19 related deaths.

Coming from a number of different denominations, the church leaders have joined together in demanding a judicial review of the government’s decision to prohibit in-person worship services. According to their complaint, the “[lockdown] measures involve a direct and serious interference with the independence of religious organizations and freedoms of religious people,” the Christian Post reports.

In a statement about the case, which it supports, the Christian Legal Centre said: “The English and Welsh Governments have now introduced two successive sets of lockdown measures which have completely prohibited and criminalized public communal worship, a core aspect of religious life for the Claimants and their congregations.”

“With these measures, the Governments have inflicted a terrible human cost, without rigorous consideration of less onerous restrictions, and as part of a package which leaves places of worship open for secular activities,” the CLC added.

The current four-week lockdown requires bars, restaurants, non-essential shops, gyms, and other facilities to close. Houses of worship are prohibited from holding in-person services, although they remain open for private prayer.

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