Christian Faith Affirmation and Action in a Pandemic World: Pondering while on Pause
The pandemic, while hurrying the world onto a frightening path toward an unknown future, has also exposed its devious traits, including the sharp systemic inequalities that exposed the poor to both the virus and hunger, the neglect of life priorities over economic growth, and the hideous pursuits of...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
University of Pennsylvania Press
2021
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| In: |
Journal of ecumenical studies
Year: 2021, Volume: 56, Issue: 4, Pages: 487-503 |
| IxTheo Classification: | CH Christianity and Society |
| Further subjects: | B
marginalized people
B Church B Oikoumene B Greed B Creation B economic disparities B Margins B interconnectedness of life B Vulnerability B Diakonia B theologies of life B Mission (international law |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The pandemic, while hurrying the world onto a frightening path toward an unknown future, has also exposed its devious traits, including the sharp systemic inequalities that exposed the poor to both the virus and hunger, the neglect of life priorities over economic growth, and the hideous pursuits of authoritarian regimes amid the pandemic. Simultaneously, there is a worldwide surge of people’s resistance as well as increasing collaboration among people to dream of a new world that is just and safe for all. It is time for churches to reimagine their presence and actions in the world. By drawing on the restlessness and yearnings of the moment, this essay explores and offers some signposts for the ongoing reflection on churches’ affirmations and actions. When truncated understandings of life instigate narrow pursuits that cause breaches in the interconnected web of life, the affirmation of faith needs to be intentionally a theology of life that asserts God’s intentions for life. When its current virtual mode seems to run the risk of further alienation from people, the church needs to search for credible expressions to be an instrument of God’s saving grace, regardless of its forms and modes. COVID-19 compels the need to reimagine the “sentness” of mission as a vocation on behalf of the vulnerable earth and its people. Diakonia, as the church’s expression of participation in mission, would then imply both reaching out in compassion and actively engaging in nurturing and accompanying people in search of a new world with justice and dignity for all. |
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| ISSN: | 2162-3937 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of ecumenical studies
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1353/ecu.2021.0036 |