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Bishop Paul S. Morton at his worships with his congregation at Changing A Generation Full Gospel Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., on Sunday March 15, 2020. | Twitter/CAGFBC

By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post Reporter
Paul S. Morton, founding bishop of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has been fielding withering criticism online for insisting churches should remain open, like hospitals and police stations across the country, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 5,000 cases of the new coronavirus have been diagnosed in the U.S., according to the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering tracker. At least 85 people have died and 17 have recovered from the virus.

The average age of those who’ve died in the U.S. is 80, according to CNN. In Italy the average age is 81, the BBC reported.
According to the CDC, the complete clinical picture with regard to the new coronavirus is not fully known.

“While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, a report out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases. Older people and people of all ages with severe chronic medical conditions — like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example — seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness,” the health agency said, while reporting illnesses have ranged from very mild (including some with no reported symptoms) to severe.

While many churches shuttered and opted for online gatherings as local governments and the CDC warned against public gatherings and encouraged social distancing to help stem the spread of the virus, Morton praised his own congregants who showed up to his church, calling them “true kingdom soldiers.”

“Thank you CAG for not forsaking the assembling together. True Kingdom Soldiers,” he wrote in a tweet that included photos of him laying hands on congregants.

He then followed up that tweet with several others, including several on Monday that quickly sparked a fiery debate with other Christian leaders and health professionals.

“No matter how bad things get in shutting down a City in a Crisis. At least 2 entities hv 2 remain open. Hospitals & Police Departments. But God’s Church must be on that list. The Spiritual Hospital The Spiritual Police Department. Don’t cancel God out. We can’t do it without Him,” Morton tweeted Monday morning.

Paul S. Morton, founding bishop of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has been fielding withering criticism online for insisting churches should remain open, like hospitals and police stations across the country, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 5,000 cases of the new coronavirus have been diagnosed in the U.S., according to the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering tracker. At least 85 people have died and 17 have recovered from the virus.

The average age of those who’ve died in the U.S. is 80, according to CNN. In Italy the average age is 81, the BBC reported.
According to the CDC, the complete clinical picture with regard to the new coronavirus is not fully known.

“While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, a report out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases. Older people and people of all ages with severe chronic medical conditions — like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example — seem to be at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness,” the health agency said, while reporting illnesses have ranged from very mild (including some with no reported symptoms) to severe.

While many churches shuttered and opted for online gatherings as local governments and the CDC warned against public gatherings and encouraged social distancing to help stem the spread of the virus, Morton praised his own congregants who showed up to his church, calling them “true kingdom soldiers.”

“Thank you CAG for not forsaking the assembling together. True Kingdom Soldiers,” he wrote in a tweet that included photos of him laying hands on congregants.

He then followed up that tweet with several others, including several on Monday that quickly sparked a fiery debate with other Christian leaders and health professionals.

“No matter how bad things get in shutting down a City in a Crisis. At least 2 entities hv 2 remain open. Hospitals & Police Departments. But God’s Church must be on that list. The Spiritual Hospital The Spiritual Police Department. Don’t cancel God out. We can’t do it without Him,” Morton tweeted Monday morning.

• https://www.christianpost.com/news/bishop-paul-s-morton-insists-churches-should-stay-open-amid-coronavirus-but-many-disagree.html