The church in the midst of a pandemic

[JonC]

I have been reading God and the Pandemic by NT Wright. He makes the flowing observation:

The COVID-19 crisis has, in fact, done to the whole world what Hurricane Katrina did in 2005 for New Orleans: in its devastating impact, it shows that the political and social timbers have already been rotting away.

 

[Reynolds]

I have been reading God and the Pandemic by NT Wright. He makes the flowing observation:

The COVID-19 crisis has, in fact, done to the whole world what Hurricane Katrina did in 2005 for New Orleans: in its devastating impact, it shows that the political and social timbers have already been rotting away.

Rotting away? More like already rotten.

 

[JonC]

Rotting away? More like already rotten.

Yep. Like an old house that looks nice on the outside. You get a little damage and find the whole thing is about to fall apart.

 

[Sai]

I have been reading God and the Pandemic by NT Wright. He makes the flowing observation:

The COVID-19 crisis has, in fact, done to the whole world what Hurricane Katrina did in 2005 for New Orleans: in its devastating impact, it shows that the political and social timbers have already been rotting away.

Any believer can know for sure that the USA as we’ve enjoyed it is over. There’s simply too many ungodly citizens to change the course of hedonism that will give way to full scale anarchy followed by military dictatorship.

 

[JonC]

Any believer can know for sure that the USA as we’ve enjoyed it is over. There’s simply too many ungodly citizens to change the course of hedonism that will give way to full scale anarchy followed by military dictatorship.

In a way, I do not know this is bad (for the church). We have assumed Christianity as the norm so long much of it has lost its flavor.

 

[JonC]

I should have provided a link to the book (apologies).

https://www.amazon.com/God-Pandemic...597409062&sprefix=god+and+the+,aps,157&sr=8-1

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Should the Christian church be operating in a privileged manner? Perhaps this is the wake up call to going back to its original intent... Brotherhood, protecting the downtrodden, loving one another.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I should have provided a link to the book (apologies).

https://www.amazon.com/God-Pandemic-Christian-Reflection-Coronavirus-ebook/dp/B088BJP43K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=294X7AO9N9G3X&dchild=1&keywords=god+and+the+pandemic+nt+wright&qid=1597409062&sprefix=god+and+the+,aps,157&sr=8-1

Is the book any good... does it provide insight?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Rotting away? More like already rotten.

Rotting away? More like already rotten.

Here I agree! Let’s look at the April 15 date. Tax time should be a time of great calm, after all we are contributing to our society, to the betterment of mankind.... instead, we’ll you know where this is going. That realization in itself signals that something is wrong.

 

[JonC]

Is the book any good... does it provide insight?

Yes, it is good.

Wright makes a point that many of the things that were unique to the church have been adopted by secular culture (caring for the poor and the sick, education, etc.). But the most interesting thing (probably because this was my concern and why I bought the book....a whopping $3 on kindle....is the question "what" should we be doing as a church.

I don't mean whether to refrain from assembling to worship. But what is the church doing? I have seen food pantries ran by local churches on hold during COVID-19. But what if now is a time when it is most needed? What about the homeless?

Wright mentions past issues. In the 1918 swine flu epidemic churches were closed (and yes, there was debate over this). But it was churches (or Christians) who went out and took care of the sick and dying. Christians exposed themselves to the disease and some died taking care of and providing comfort to people who were dying of the virus.

Historically that has been the answer of the church. A pandemic arises and people flee. Christians, however, are noted for putting themselves in danger (and often dying) to take care of those suffering as a way of being Christ to others and living out the gospel.

 

[tyndale1946]

Yes, it is good.

Wright makes a point that many of the things that were unique to the church have been adopted by secular culture (caring for the poor and the sick, education, etc.). But the most interesting thing (probably because this was my concern and why I bought the book....a whopping $3 on kindle....is the question "what" should we be doing as a church.

I don't mean whether to refrain from assembling to worship. But what is the church doing? I have seen food pantries ran by local churches on hold during COVID-19. But what if now is a time when it is most needed? What about the homeless?

Wright mentions past issues. In the 1918 swine flu epidemic churches were closed (and yes, there was debate over this). But it was churches (or Christians) who went out and took care of the sick and dying. Christians exposed themselves to the disease and some died taking care of and providing comfort to people who were dying of the virus.

Historically that has been the answer of the church. A pandemic arises and people flee. Christians, however, are noted for putting themselves in danger (and often dying) to take care of those suffering as a way of being Christ to others and living out the gospel.

Yes... I was just reading about the pandemic of 100 years ago and how the church stepped in and filled a need.

The 1918 H1N1 flu pandemic, sometimes referred to as the “Spanish flu,” killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 people in the United States. An unusual characteristic of this virus was the high death rate it caused among healthy adults 15 to 34 years of age. The pandemic lowered the average life expectancy in the United States by more than 12 years. A comparable death rate has not been observed during any of the known flu seasons or pandemics that have occurred either prior to or following the 1918 pandemic.

You want to read the whole article, here is the link... Brother Glen

The Discovery and Reconstruction of the 1918 Pandemic Virus

 

[JonC]

Yes... I was just reading about the pandemic of 100 years ago and how the church stepped in and filled a need.

The 1918 H1N1 flu pandemic, sometimes referred to as the “Spanish flu,” killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 people in the United States. An unusual characteristic of this virus was the high death rate it caused among healthy adults 15 to 34 years of age. The pandemic lowered the average life expectancy in the United States by more than 12 years. A comparable death rate has not been observed during any of the known flu seasons or pandemics that have occurred either prior to or following the 1918 pandemic.

You want to read the whole article, here is the link... Brother Glen

The Discovery and Reconstruction of the 1918 Pandemic Virus

Interesting. I wonder how much the church is stepping in now. It seems (from the confines of my home) that the issue is about not being allowed to gather in a church building rather than what the church should be doing. Maybe I'm just getting depressed but all I see (on the idiot box) are Christians complaining about gathering or about not gathering and if they should or should not wear a mask. I do not see much activity in churches meeting the needs of those affected by COVID-19 (I worry about the homeless and those who depend on assistance for food/ shelter).

Our schools are going to open and one of the main issues discussed is that without schools opening many children will go hungry. But what about now with schools closed (and having been closed). We have a food pantry at our church....but it has been closed since March because of COVID-19.

I don't know. Maybe I'm just overreacting. I do not know what others are doing to help those in need, or to "live out" the gospel. But I have been stuck at home and have done absolutely nothing. We went from a church reaching others with the gospel (meeting both physical and spiritual needs) to....what?

 

[Sai]

Since the 90’s the media has used neurological linguistic programming. What that is as far as I can tell is when news is reported it is sold. Sold by those with the speaking fluidity and enthusiasm to engage one’s mind subtly. We don’t even recognize the difference in the broadcaster’s voice from how we normally communicate without the dramatic emphasizing.

Every day when the news comes on our local anchors start off with “so many new cases and x amount of deaths”.

How can you write a book on CV19 when all of the most important questions are not even being asked?

Ask yourselves, what questions are not being asked by the local news concerning CV19. Let me know what you come up with so I’m not thinking I’m crazy and we will see if you, and I in different states think the same way.