August 13, 2020
An open letter from the Pastors of Pennsylvania
to
the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
the members of the General Assembly,
Governor Wolf, as head of the Executive Branch,
and the Justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
The harmful impact of COVID-19 public policies on our families and children, churches and schools, businesses and the economy is almost beyond measure. Sweeping and unilateral orders emanating from state and federal Executive Branches have wearied the citizens of this nation and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Yet, while most citizens have patiently endured the restrictions on our freedoms of assembly, worship, travel, education and work, that time has ended.
When a former Pennsylvania General Assembly extended limited authority to future Governors as head of the Executive Branch to temporarily suspend certain statutory laws in case of a clear “Natural Disaster,” there was no anticipation that this privilege would be so abused with the limited “temporary” authority arrogantly extended into a more “permanent” authority remaking the entire system of representative government.
Now the Lawmaking Authority of the Commonwealth has been unlawfully seized by the Executive Branch and the Law spurned. To make matters more serious, the Justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unilaterally assumed “King’s Bench” Supreme Authority and aligned the Court with our defiant Governor and Executive Branch against the General Assembly, the Pennsylvania Constitution and the Citizens of the Commonwealth. The serious and deteriorating nature of the COVID-19 policies confronting the citizens of this Commonwealth and the violations of Statutory Law and the Constitution, precipitated by the actions of the Executive and Judicial Branches, is clear. The disenfranchised and aggrieved position of the General Assembly as the Constitutionally authorized lawmaking Body in this Commonwealth is now beyond dispute.
Recognizing that the Constitutional status of the General Assembly has been unlawfully assaulted, the freedoms of the citizens limited or violated at will, and all justified by ever-changing guidelines and policies, we as pastors and moral leaders serving in ordained positions of authority within the church and society are compelled to step forward with wisdom and courage. In keeping with the moral and historical role and duties of pastors throughout the rich history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and our nation, we raise by this letter, the standard of civil and moral truth by which to lead this Commonwealth back to the precepts of liberty as defined by William Penn, our Founder in this “Holy Experiment in Freedom” called the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As cited by William Penn himself in his “Foundations of Government” in 1682, “Good men will never lack good laws, nor permit ill ones. . . .”
As supported by Scripture, we ask all our citizens to join us in prayer for our Governor, our Justices, all those in the General Assembly and our elected officials at all levels because we are commanded to do so by God Himself in I Tim. 2:2: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” We implore the Governor and the Justices to recognize their accountability to God first, to the People and to the Constitution. We implore them to do their first duty, which is to uphold the law, not to seek to make the law. We recognize that these are increasingly perilous days and that in accordance with God’s plan for society and as recognized by our Founders, the citizens and those in civil authority must lead righteously, morally and with fidelity. Any alternative will be destructive to the very foundations upon which this Commonwealth and nation were founded.
Therefore, representing the God-fearing, Constitution-supporting and freedom-committed pastors of this Commonwealth, we put forth the following resolution. This resolution is intended to enumerate evidences of gubernatorial malfeasance and violations of authority to which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court enjoined. Other evidences of personal harm created by or that are being created by various policy decisions by the Governor and the Secretary of Health are also identified. This resolution is also intended to clarify for the citizens of the Commonwealth the great challenges to our freedom that, if not remedied, will lead to tyranny and loss of liberty. In addition, this resolution is intended to provide substantive communication from the pastors of this Commonwealth on behalf of the citizens to our General Assembly as Representatives of the people, along with our commitment and prayers that they bring the necessary actions against the Governor and Supreme Court Justices in accordance with the Law and restore normalcy, freedom and the rule of Law in the Commonwealth and to its citizens.
Hon. Sam Rohrer
President, The Pennsylvania Pastors Network
President, The American Pastors Network
Representing over 1200 PA Pastors Committed to Truth and Liberty
Regional Representative Pastors
Dr. Jim Arcieri, Senior Pastor
Community Bible Fellowship Church, SE PA
Pastor Dale Armstrong, Senior Pastor
Church of the Word International, South Central PA
Pastor Paul Caughill, Senior Pastor
High Point Baptist Chapel, SE PA
Dr. Gary G. Dull, Senior Pastor
The Faith Baptist Church of Altoona, SW PA
Dr. Joseph Green, Senior Pastor
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Central PA
Dr. Joel Long, Senior Pastor
Tabernacle Baptist Church, N Central, PA
Pastor Todd Johnson, Senior Pastor
First Immanuel Baptist Church, Phila. PA
Dr. Denny Mallonee, Senior Pastor
Faith Baptist Church, N Central PA
Dr. John Mallonee, Senior Pastor
Blessed Hope Bible Church, Central PA
Pastor Sydney Ropp, Senior Pastor
Church of the Word International, South Central PA
Pastor Bill Wexler, Senior Pastor
Bethesda Baptist Church, SE PA
Pastor Mel Weaver, Senior Pastor
Grace Chapel, South Central PA