Seeing the Other in Times of Epidemics: a Catholic's Reflection on History. Remarks delivered by Fr. Davide Meli at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem on (original) (raw)
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The role that Christianity has played in history has tremendously impacted society and helped in the spread of the Christian faith. This study examines the models that Christianity adopted in responding to different epidemics since antiquity. These historical approaches provide the contemporary church a conceptual paradigm in responding to contagions that pause a threat to both church and society. Pluralism is putting people far from God, and in such circumstances, there are provisional options that are made available for the world to adopt. This has occasioned reflections among church historians on the best way to respond to these epidemics. In a time of global panic that puts the world in a state of social, economic, and religious uncertainties, the church needs to be proactive. The response of Christianity is immersed in a biblical agenda that puts it at the helm of a global solution. Therefore, this study explores the paradigmatic approaches that Christianity adopted in curbing various diseases in the past. The models could be a roadmap in providing an enduring response to global pandemics in the 21 st century.
An Exploration of Selected Pandemics with Implication to World Christianity Lessons from COVID
The world has always been threatened with the spread of diseases. These bitter experiences have affected the peace and stability of any society. This study is an evaluation of some devastating pandemics that befell humanity with its effect on the growth of Christianity in Africa. At every time that the world faces pandemics, the Christian church is the most affected; nevertheless, such periods also help shape the Christian approach to the expansion of the Gospel. This study seeks to investigate the challenge that the spread of coronavirus has upon the growth of Christianity. Beginning from the time that COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Christians around the world, especially from Africa, are uncertain about what will become of the Christian church. Others see it as the end of the church due to government decisions to stop large gatherings, which seem to have some consequences to Africans that are religious conscious. The question that this research tends to ask is, will the aftermath of the pandemic strengthen or weaken Christianity in Africa? Learning from history, what will be the possible effect of the COVID-19 epidemic upon the Christian church, especially in Africa, which tends to offer a prospective future of the growth of Christianity? The uncertainty of these realities necessitates the need for the church to examine its present predicament from a theological, ethical, and missional viewpoints. Keywords: Africa, COVID-19, Exploration, Global Pandemics, Implication, World Christianity
THE CHURCH AND RELIGIOUS LIFE OF CHRISTIANS IN PANDEMIC TIMES
Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference "History and Theology", 2021
The present study proposes a foray into history through an analysis of documents on state action and the Church's response and attitude during past pandemic episodes. This is all the more important if we want to understand the actions of the Church beyond the veil of preconceived ideas, the truncated scriptural texts invoked and the numerous conspiracist scenarios that abound.
The Comeback of the Old Theological Narratives During the Coronavirus Crisis: A Critical Reflection
The New Common, 2021
Martin Luther had no doubt about it: diseases were a punishment from God. In espousing this view, Luther, who was one of the first people to translate the Bible from Greek into another language, stood on firm biblical grounds. For the Semitic people of the biblical world, this causal connection had been self-evident as well. Diseases, plagues, catastrophes were the consequences of the sin that people commit. Ultimately, the intuition that evil is the result of sin is the basis for the adage that adversity causes people to pray: sooner or later, human beings will be confronted with the contingency of their own lives, which, in the Christian perspective, is rooted in the fact that creation has fallen into sin. This is why the idea that adversity causes people to pray is often trotted out in times of crisis even though it has long been empirically disproven.
Studia Humana, 2021
A question arises regarding theology and its functions when trying to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. Surely Christian faith-along with other religions-can play a role in helping to deal with this crisis, both for individuals and collectively. Theology connects with the effort religious faith and Churches perform and provides models and ideas to highlight the Christian sense of what is happening, that is, in reference to a saving God. Four keys, rooted in the Christian tradition, are proposed that allow us to understand these difficult times in a meaningful way, that is, as revealing "signs of the times" for believers, assisting them in their struggle to cope with these challenging circumstances. I am writing this article after two weeks of forced confinement and in the midst of one of the worst health, social and economic crises our world has experienced in recent decades, or at least wealthy Western societies, where we have not suffered such negative experiences since perhaps the tough period of the wars of the mid-20th century. This situation certainly invites reflection and analysis, although many think that it will come later, and that now there are other more urgent things to do. However, reflecting 'hot' can be a useful and necessary exercise in difficult times. At these moments the non-rhetorical question arises about how and what can theology contribute, if it can contribute something in the middle of this struggle, if that reflective exercise from faith does not appear now rather a luxury, as something superfluous in the face of the most pressing tasks. At least, Christian faith and its practices become useful and necessary for many, for those who invoke the name of God and Mary and seek salvation, help and hope, or even inspiration to engage in risky caring activities. A first answer is linked to that perception about the helpfulness of faith in this context: if the Christian faith, and in general religious beliefs, have meaning and play important functions in these tough times, then theology is still necessary and important to guide and encourage everyone's efforts to face the crisis with which we are living. Theology is closely connected with lived experience, and takes very seriously its own contexts and challenges. This is a critical situation that poses a test to faith and theology, that is, these times present conditions to which churches and Christian reflection must respond effectively, or else they fail in their central duties and aims. They would then, and rightly, also lose credibility. If Christian faith
The Early Christians in the Face of Epidemics
Studia Ceranea
The purpose of the article is to present the reaction of the early Christians to the emergence and the spread of the great epidemics. During the early Christian ages (2nd–3rd centuries) different plagues devastated people of the Roman Empire. Christianity has already prepared some modes of activity to deal with epidemics. These were both ideological and practical means. The main conclusion is that the pestilences during which Christians might show their moral principles, the special manner of life, and activity were one of the reasons to explain conversion to Christianity.
Hekima Review, 2020
Taking a definite cue from Pope Francis' twin emphasis, crisis and choice, the present article pursues an inter(con)textual reading wherein a biblical story of fissure-the book of Job-serves as a pertinent guide to some ruminations during this time of pandemic. When faced with crises, whether ancient or current, human heart yearns for remedy. Such yearning, however, might pave the way for many possible choices. Often, the choices themselves tend to be on a collision course. And yet, each o ne demands its share of attention. When faced with such plentiful-often conflicting-choices, how are we to make informed choices? The proposed inte(con)textual reading aims to outline a modest suggestion to this end.
A Theological Statement on the Coronavirus Pandemic
Religion and Theology
This Statement is a response to the challenge that the church and Christian communities around the world face as a result of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and the regulations that have been imposed in order to control the spread of infections. The paper starts off by explaining that pandemics may be a challenge and an opportunity to the faith. Special attention is paid to the coronavirus pandemic, its origins, the effect on public health systems around the world, and its impact on the socio-economic livelihoods; the role of medical health scientists and the breakdown and disruption of communities, the economic arrangements of states. It also raises questions about the possibility of a new world order that seeks a more equal, compassionate and humane world. On that basis, the paper raises some pertinent theological questions that arise for the church and for faith communities. It explores and examines theological questions that arise out of a world that is broken and sufferi...