The African Church And Covid 19

The African Church and COVID-19: Human Security, the Church, and Society in Kenya is a bold and incisive look at the African Church in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the book, contributors explore how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragilities of African society as well as the weaknesses in the Church’s role in helping and serving African communities. The African Church and COVID-19 analyzes the question of how the Church in Kenya should move forward in a post-COVID-19 era to address the vulnerabilities of socio-economic and political structures in Africa.

"COVID-19 has, like other crises, thrown into relief social injustices and gendered inequalities. BiAS 31/ ERA 8 offers theological responses to and reflections on the COVID-19 outbreak and pandemic. All are by African scholars and authors; some are academic, some experiential, and others creative or impressionistic in tone. Reflecting the ethos and commitment of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians ("The Circle") to nurture and promote the publications by and about African women and men committed to social justice and positive change, this issue contains the writings of some established but, predominantly, of emerging theologians. For some contributors, this is their first publication in an international series."

"The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic caused enormous problems for religious institutions, economics, health system/infrastructure, health personnel, tourism, and airline business among others. Various organizations and governing institutions in Africa responded to Covid-19 in ways that could control and manage its spread and impact. The Church in Africa responded in a manner that is convenient to its denominational tenets. In this monograph, the contributors critically analyzed and discussed the responses based on the spirituality of African Christians, public education of the pandemic, how to cope as a Church during the lockdown, scripture interpretation during the pick of the pandemic, and varied interpretations of the pandemic. Besides, issues of corruption by some African government officials to accumulate wealth through the pandemic were not left out. The Church and the Covid-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from Africa pointed out both the strengths and the weaknesses of the Church during the high point of the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa, and recommended a way forward." --

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.

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Africa faced a unique set of challenges that sparked a profound spiritual response among its people. Wash and Pray: African Theological Discourse on COVID-19 delves into the heart of this response, exploring the intersections of faith, culture, history, and the pandemic that gripped the world from 2019 to 2022. The book demonstrates that for many Africans, the pandemic was not just a medical crisis but also a spiritual battle. As such, the book invites the reader to witness the historicising of the pandemic in Africa through this landmark resource for current and future generations, ensuring that the narratives of African Christianity in the face of COVID-19 and other pandemics are not lost. The chapter contributions offer diverse perspectives from Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and the UK, each contextualising the African Christian response to the pandemic. In essence, this monograph paints a rich tapestry of African theological discourse during a global crisis, ultimately affirming that faith and science, when harmonised, can lead to a resilient and thriving community.

Our world has been divided into two distinct eras, the pre-coronavirus era and the post-coronavirus era. In the post-coronavirus era, everything is changing about how we live, think, work, study, travel, worship, do business and socialize. Our dispositions to the changes will determine what the post-coronavirus world will look like for us. Rigidity will be a great undoing for many in the days to come. We all have to prepare to learn, unlearn and relearn new skills in order to survive the impact of the pandemic. The church in Africa, and, indeed, ECWA is not immune to the changes taking place. If the church in Africa and beyond is to survive and be of impact in this new-normal era of the world, then it must be like the men of Issachar, ‘who understood the times and knew what Israel should do . . .’ (1 Chronicles 12:32). This book examines the effects of the coronavirus lockdown on corporate worship in ECWA. It discusses the response of ECWA to the same and extrapolates the implications to the church in Africa. These implications are important for the future of evangelical Christianity in Africa so the church can strategise to minister in the face of the new realities introduced by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

This book provides an interdisciplinary exploration of the challenges faced by pastoral ministry in South African Pentecostalism as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as some interventions being made to manage these challenges. Contributors present descriptive approaches to churches’ reactions to lockdown measures, and especially the adaptations generated within Pentecostalism in South Africa. Through a variety of approaches—including pastoral care, virtual ecclesiology, social media, and missiology—contributors offer intervention techniques which can help readers to understand the unique role of Christian ministry during the pandemic, in South Africa and beyond.

Post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) realities are challenging leaders in all spheres of society in many ways. From the onset of the pandemic, leaders on every level were challenged to provide appropriate guidance in the face of new and adverse realities. From the micro level of local congregations to the macro level of national governments, leaders were required to provide the type of leadership that would not only address immediate obstacles but simultaneously be visionary in the face of uncertainties that became the hallmark of post-COVID-19 society. In this book, the authors reflect on leadership in a post-COVID-19 society from bibliological, practical, theological, missiological and ethical perspectives. Although the authors have the global village in mind, the focus leans towards the African context. The book aims to contribute meaningfully to a much-needed and re-imagined vision of leaders which fits post-COVID-19 societies.