Faith In The Shadow Of A Pandemic

"In our lifetime, we have never experienced a disaster with effects as widespread as the COVID-19 pandemic. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 certainly caused upheaval, but they didn't force people to shelter at home or cause churches to stop meeting. As we slowly work back to our normal lives-or a new normal-we must recognize this will not be the last major disaster we will ever have to face. But what does that mean for the Church, especially the local congregation?"--

She Endured 9/11 . . . Would She Survive COVID-19? It was March 2020, and rumors of a mysterious virus filled the air. But busy New York City tour guide Christina Ray Stanton paid little attention. After all, she and her husband had survived 9/11; it would take more than a virus to slow them--or their city--down. But within days, Stanton saw her beloved Manhattan become a ghost town as fear of the novel coronavirus swept the nation. Seeking safety, she and her husband left the city to stay with family in Florida. They didn't realize that rather than escaping the storm, they were heading into the eye of the hurricane: Stanton was already infected with COVID-19 and would soon be fighting for her life from a hospital bed hundreds of miles from home. In this unforgettable first-person account, Stanton shares the physical, mental and emotional agony she endured as the virus ravaged her body. Given a 50/50 chance of survival, she didn't lose hope. She relied on her community and her faith to sustain her through the painful journey. Along the way, she learned new lessons in gratitude, emerging stronger, more resilient, and with a renewed sense of purpose. This stirring story of one woman's battle with COVID-19 will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by the coronavirus pandemic or who has endured hardship. Discover the power of faith, family and friends to help us survive our darkest days.

How belief in a loving and sovereign God helps us to make sense of and cope with the coronavirus outbreak. We are living through a unique, era-defining period. Many of our old certainties have gone, whatever our view of the world and whatever our beliefs. The coronavirus pandemic and its effects are perplexing and unsettling for all of us. How do we begin to think it through and cope with it? In this short yet profound book, Oxford mathematics professor John Lennox examines the coronavirus in light of various belief systems and shows how the Christian worldview not only helps us to make sense of it, but also offers us a sure and certain hope to cling to.

Why did America do so badly?When the COVID-19 crisis reached America, the US had more resources and expertise at its disposal to confront the threat than any nation on the planet, and yet the American response was homicidally inefficient. Why?In this book, I argue that the root of the problem is America's religiosity. A crisis that only science could meet threatened to expose the impotence of religious claims, and religious leaders and institutions went on the attack. Any hope of a rational, scientifically informed response was crippled by a presidential administration elected by religious zealots, staffed by religious zealots, and beholden to religious zealots. But their malfeasance was not limited to the political arena.From churches ignoring state lockdowns, to televangelists declaring the disease miraculously eradicated, to pastors suing their governors for enforcing public safety measures, religion was at the forefront of virtually every misguided step towards catastrophe that the nation took.When science eventually solves this problem, religions will be quick to thank their gods for the scientist's labor and forgive themselves their trespasses. We cannot afford to give them such easy absolution. Their disastrous contributions to our national pandemic response are a potent reminder that a nation in the twenty-first century can ill afford to let anyone compete with science in the realm of truth.

Our character and conduct are what define each of us as human beings as well as believers who have accepted Christ. God has divinely given all of us a measure of faith. How we respond to adversities in life is determined by what level of faith we have attained. During this worldwide pandemic, fear has taken a front seat and left faith in God as a secondary alternative. If there is ever a time to unleash the power of God and his church, it is now. Whatever denomination you may be or even if you have no affiliation with a religious preference, there is still a fabric that binds us together as humans. Originally, God divinely inspired me to teach a systematic Bible study to strengthen believers when COVID-19 first came to our shores. But one day as I was consoling a member that was experiencing a personal pandemic (his wife was contemplating divorce, and his son had recently been murdered, coupled with this worldwide coronavirus pandemic), God instructed me to write this book. I have discovered in my sixteen years of pastoring that God is extravagant but not wasteful. He uses every situation to bring glory to his name. COVID-19 was the catalyst that exposed our true belief and trust in God. This book is divinely designed to help people of all walks of life whether they are struggling with a personal or a worldwide pandemic. This book is scripturally based and inspired by God to be used for Bible or personal studies, as well as casual or avid readers, and most of all, to encourage those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. $14.95

This book investigates the role of religion in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern Africa. Building on a diverse range of methodologies and disciplinary approaches, the book reflects on how religion, politics and health have interfaced in Southern African contexts, when faced with the sudden public health emergency caused by the pandemic. Religious actors have played a key role on the frontline throughout the pandemic, sometimes posing roadblocks to public health messaging, but more often deploying their resources to help provide effective and timely responses. Drawing on case studies from African indigenous knowledge systems, Islam, Rastafari and various forms of Christianity, this book provides important reflections on the role of religion in crisis response. This book will be of interest to researchers across the fields of African Studies, Health, Politics and Religious Studies. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

How can we respond spiritually when a pandemic hits our nation? How can our faith help us to face our fears, going beyond panic and denial, to hopeful and courageous action? The Coronavirus is changing everything in our society. It can provoke isolation and self-interested individualism. It can also inspire kindness, generosity, patience, and compassion. Facing the pandemic with God as our companion will deepen our sense of agency as well as peace and move us from self-interest and nation-first to planetary loyalty. This text provides a theological, pastoral, and spiritual pathway to help you, your family, and congregation find your way through the wilderness of the Coronavirus pandemic.