The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has said its members will "consider" whether to follow government guidance in the event of a future catastrophic event such as a pandemic.
Recommendations by a 'task group' established in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic were adopted at the church's recent General Assembly in Belfast.
The church's Pandemic Response (Theological, Moral & Spiritual) Task Group was formed after the church was forced to cancel its annual meeting due to Covid restrictions in 2020, while the meeting the following year took place with social distancing rules in place.
The task group was founded for the church to "reflect on its response" to Covid, which to date has been linked to over 5,000 deaths in the north.
The all-island denomination's public affairs officer Karen Jardine said the group examined a "full range of views", including those who were "angry or bewildered" at government guidance.
A report by the group found "tension" between members who wished to keep places of worship open during lockdown and others who felt such a move would "further marginalise" the perception of the church.
"The restrictions on meeting together for worship on the Lord’s Day were difficult, as was the inability to visit loved ones in hospital or residential facilities," Ms Jardine said.
Recommendations by the group adopted at the General Assembly encourage the "consideration of whether it might be appropriate to voluntarily set aside our own rights and privileges as believers in order to facilitate the common good".
They also include the recognition of the "importance and value of holistic care that acknowledges spiritual needs, as well as mental and physical, recognising the plight of those beyond our own shores".
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