Christian Response to COVID 19
As I write this, we understand COVID-19 contracted cases have surpassed two million and recorded 130,000 deaths. The COVID-19 is affecting 210 countries and territories around the world, businesses, schools and churches have been closed down. Governments have announced the state of emergency and enforcing restrictions on gathering and travels. In many countries, residents are not allowed to leave their home even for essential needs. Such a time as this, what is the role of the Church and Christian community?
In many countries, Christians have been accused of being super-spreaders of the virus or being insensitive to the government restrictions and health guidelines.
Congregants are feeling abandoned and confused, with no fellowship, no communion and regular ministries.
Christian response in the past "Spanish flu" by late September 1918, killed over 50 million people around 4% of the world's population died globally during the worst pandemic in modern history. Churches were instructed to close their doors; some churches decided to open buildings to become temporary hospitals because the hospitals could not cope with the numbers. Many churches, fed the health care workers and underprivileged communities. At this time, YMCA's and YWCA's had firm Christian roots, and they ran soup kitchens and recuperating facilities. Churches suspended their regular activities, but they did not cease to worship, the leaders encouraged the families to worship in their homes.
The Black Death (A.D. 1347 to 1351) was a fatal pandemic recorded in human history, resulting in the deaths of up to 75-200 million people. Sadly, specific sectors of the Christian community blamed the Jewish community for the plague, most towns in Germany and beyond massacred the Jewish communities. Thousands of Jews and their properties burnt, often connected with accusations of well-poisoning by Jews. The church as an institution was shaken to its core; the clergy were faced with the task of caring for the sick, knowing that they will be contracting the sickness.
Plague of Justinian (A.D. 541–542) and the pandemic felt until A.D. 750 with recurrences. The entire Byzantine Empire was afflicted, especially it's capital Constantinople. Emperor Justinian himself contracted the disease but survived. Estimated 25–100 million people died during the two centuries. John of Ephesus, a historian and leader of the early Syriac Orthodox Church wrote, "clergy, monks and nuns, and the diaconates gave the opportunity to faithful laymen also to devote themselves to works of active benevolence". It was enabling the laity to be involved in responding to the pandemic situation and recognizing the role of the congregation.
Plague of Cyprian (A.D.250-271) is estimated to have killed 5,000 people a day in Rome alone. Bishop Cyprian preached on morality and consoled the affected people. He argued, the pestilence was a manifest encouragement to martyrdom, since those who died the glorious death were spared the "common fate of others amidst the bloody destruction of ravaging diseases." Bishop Cyprian, encouraged every Christian to care for the sick and dying. They buried the dead and risked getting sick by caring for the sick.
The Antonine Plague (A.D. 165 AD), during the reign of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (161-180 CE). Historians suggest that the plague was the start of the decline for the Roman Empire in the West. The Roman historian Dio Cassius (A.D. 155-235) estimated 2,000- 5000 deaths per day in Rome at the height of the outbreaks. Marcus Aurelius began to persecute the Christians who refused to worship the Roman gods. The emperor believed Christian's refusal to pay homage angered the gods whose wrath caused the plague. Midst of persecution, Christians met the basic needs of food and water, for those too ill to fend for themselves.
When the world advocated for self-protection in history, Christian response was very different. According to Bishop Dionysius of Alexandria, Christians showed limitless love and loyalty, never thought of saving themselves but thought of others.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1
JS
In many countries, Christians have been accused of being super-spreaders of the virus or being insensitive to the government restrictions and health guidelines.
- How do we respond to this pandemic situation?
- What is our witnessing role now and beyond COVID-19?
- When will we come out of this situation?
- Who will care for the believers?
Congregants are feeling abandoned and confused, with no fellowship, no communion and regular ministries.
Christian response in the past "Spanish flu" by late September 1918, killed over 50 million people around 4% of the world's population died globally during the worst pandemic in modern history. Churches were instructed to close their doors; some churches decided to open buildings to become temporary hospitals because the hospitals could not cope with the numbers. Many churches, fed the health care workers and underprivileged communities. At this time, YMCA's and YWCA's had firm Christian roots, and they ran soup kitchens and recuperating facilities. Churches suspended their regular activities, but they did not cease to worship, the leaders encouraged the families to worship in their homes.
The Black Death (A.D. 1347 to 1351) was a fatal pandemic recorded in human history, resulting in the deaths of up to 75-200 million people. Sadly, specific sectors of the Christian community blamed the Jewish community for the plague, most towns in Germany and beyond massacred the Jewish communities. Thousands of Jews and their properties burnt, often connected with accusations of well-poisoning by Jews. The church as an institution was shaken to its core; the clergy were faced with the task of caring for the sick, knowing that they will be contracting the sickness.
Plague of Justinian (A.D. 541–542) and the pandemic felt until A.D. 750 with recurrences. The entire Byzantine Empire was afflicted, especially it's capital Constantinople. Emperor Justinian himself contracted the disease but survived. Estimated 25–100 million people died during the two centuries. John of Ephesus, a historian and leader of the early Syriac Orthodox Church wrote, "clergy, monks and nuns, and the diaconates gave the opportunity to faithful laymen also to devote themselves to works of active benevolence". It was enabling the laity to be involved in responding to the pandemic situation and recognizing the role of the congregation.
Plague of Cyprian (A.D.250-271) is estimated to have killed 5,000 people a day in Rome alone. Bishop Cyprian preached on morality and consoled the affected people. He argued, the pestilence was a manifest encouragement to martyrdom, since those who died the glorious death were spared the "common fate of others amidst the bloody destruction of ravaging diseases." Bishop Cyprian, encouraged every Christian to care for the sick and dying. They buried the dead and risked getting sick by caring for the sick.
The Antonine Plague (A.D. 165 AD), during the reign of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (161-180 CE). Historians suggest that the plague was the start of the decline for the Roman Empire in the West. The Roman historian Dio Cassius (A.D. 155-235) estimated 2,000- 5000 deaths per day in Rome at the height of the outbreaks. Marcus Aurelius began to persecute the Christians who refused to worship the Roman gods. The emperor believed Christian's refusal to pay homage angered the gods whose wrath caused the plague. Midst of persecution, Christians met the basic needs of food and water, for those too ill to fend for themselves.
When the world advocated for self-protection in history, Christian response was very different. According to Bishop Dionysius of Alexandria, Christians showed limitless love and loyalty, never thought of saving themselves but thought of others.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1
JS