Thierry Le Gall: "The Porte Ouverte Chrétienne church is a victim of the pandemic"

Agnès Laurent and Thierry Le Gall were the guests of RMC to express themselves around the “media surge” suffered by the church of the Porte Ouverte Chrétienne.

Agnès Laurent, journalist, and Thierry Le Gall, pastor and director of the CNEF Pastoral Service to Parliamentarians, were the guests of the program RMC General Mobilization, stronger together. They took stock of what the show's host called the "media surge" that hit the Christian Open Door.

Agnes Laurent, author of an article entitled "Evangelicals in the turmoil of the coronavirus" and published in L'Express May 5, details the church gathering in mid-February. She emphasizes that “at the time it was totally authorized, there was nothing illegal”.

The host asks him about the "media surge" suffered by the church. For the journalist, among the causes at the origin of this surge, there are the words of the prefect of the Alsace region are at the origin of a "surge of violence on social networks".

"Then all of a sudden it ignites. And in particular, there is the prefect of the Alsace region who, at one point, said 'they are responsible, there was this gathering, they are responsible'. And there, it is a surge of violence on social networks that overwhelms the evangelical community. "

Agnès Laurent evokes "death threats". She received testimonies and met evangelical Christians during her investigation. It testifies to their state of shock.

"They were really shocked by the violence that befell them, because they weren't anticipating it, and what's more, they were within their rights, that is to say they didn't had done nothing illegal. So in fact, that's what particularly shocked them. And suddenly they now have the feeling of being a bit of the scapegoat. [...] They are a little distraught all the same in the face of this movement of violence. »

Thierry le gall for its part wished to recall that the Open Door is a "church victim of the pandemic".

“This church of the Porte Ouverte Chrétienne is a member church of the National Council of Evangelicals of France, and it is a church victim of the pandemic, like all those who fell ill, whatever the origin of their infection. "

Then he recalled the context in which the rally from February 17 to 21 took place.

"Knowledge of the pandemic being very embryonic at that time, and government recommendations non-existent, well, this fraternal meeting took place without concern and she was hit hard by this pandemic. "

Adding that the evangelical churches members of the CNEF have always submitted to "government recommendations" and are still working today with state services to prepare "the reopening of places of worship, offices and ceremonies, celebrations that are held in our churches ”.

“When the government announced the barrier gestures, we asked all churches and member organizations of the CNEF to close the buildings to the public, to cease activities, to implement all government recommendations. We are currently in contact with the Hotel Matignon, and we will have an interview on Monday morning with one of the Prime Minister's advisers to obtain very specific recommendations concerning the reopening of places of worship, offices and ceremonies, celebrations which are held in our churches. We are working and we will continue to work with all State services and we will base ourselves on their recommendations that we will transmit to our departmental delegates and to the hundreds of member churches of the CNEF. "

Tonight, at 18 p.m., #OnEstEnsemble the live will offer a special program with the Porte Ouverte Chrétienne. A counter-investigation with Doctor Jonathan Peterschmitt, one of the very first doctors to test positive for COVID-19 in France and Nathalie Schnoebelen, director of communication of the church, then a spiritual decryption with pastors Samuel Peterschmitt, Claude Houde, of the Quebec, Mohammed Sanogo, from Ivory Coast, and Ivan Carluer from France. To attend, all you need to do is click here.

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