Making Sense of Covid-19 Coronavirus

(This article contains some initial ideas, awaiting discussion and amendment. It is intended for a Christian readership. Others might find insights therein, but must bear in mind the cultural assumptions woven into the text, of which they might not be aware or sympathetic. See rearranged, clarified version.)

How do we make sense of Covid-19? Is God involved? What should we learn? What should we do?

As I write this, we in the U.K. are in lockdown because of the Covid-19 coronavirus. There have been many responses, "I'm scared", "Just focus on prevention and cure or care", "Keep social distancing", "It brings out the best in people", "Let's plan to get the economy back to normal", "It was prophesied", "It's a punishment", "Is it the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse?", "God is mending the world", "Don't try to understand, just lament". Though I find most of them plausible, I don't find any of them satisfying, and all of them are problematic in one way or another [Note: Responses to Covid-19].

I want a bigger picture, so as to be able to see which response is appropriate when. It is only when I understand that I can live effectively. As a Christian [Note: 'Christian'], I want to see Covid-19 from God's perspective, as far as that is possible. I want to see the lay of the forest as well as the individual trees.

Listening to the debates going on, both in Christian and in secular circles, I have sought to understand insights from each with a Biblical perspective (theological, practical and even philosophical). It seems to me that there are six things to understand, each able to begin with 'R'.

• Realities - that Covid-19 opens us up to;
• Repentance: Covid-19 calls for a change in direction;
• Rewiring: Covid-19 demands deeper changes than we might think: the 'New Normal';
• Responsibility: Covid-19 makes us all responsible, some specially so;
• Representation: Covid-19 calls us to higher things;
• Reassurance: Covid-19 and Christ.

This article understands Covid-19 as though God is involved, not just on the sidelines. The stance from which I interpreted these is that of 'A New View in Theology and Practice' (http://abxn.org/nv/), which treats the entire Bible (Jewish and Christian Scriptures) as valid and important as God's revelation (Word) to the world. It is merely an understanding, not a truth (truth is ever beyond full understanding and can often be misunderstood) yet, if it lets the reader find useful insights, it will have served its purpose.

The following is a 'long summary' of these topics in bullet form, distilled from a longer draft that would take too long to complete. Some notes at the end expand some things. I suggest you do not try to read it straight through as you would a novel, but rather ponder the bullets a few at a time, in any order that you fancy, and maybe read it all after doing that. The bullets below may be useful as reference material, to quicken our thinking.

Realities - That Covid-19 Opens Us Up To

• Covid-19 opens us up to realities we don't usually think about.

• Covid-19, by stripping our lives of "non-essentials", forces us to look at our priorities, to see what is really important.
• Covid-19 reveals what is taken for granted.
• Covid-19 overturns our assumptions:
  • Covid-19 hit the affluent parts of the world - overturning our assumption that our prosperity protects us from disasters (climate and epidemics) that used to hit the poorer parts.
  • Covid-19 hit travel; have we not presumed a basic right for ourselves to be able to travel cheaply and conveniently? Covid-19 spread so fast because so many people fly.
  • Covid-19 has hit our pleasures, entertainments, and sport - overturning our presumption of a right to hedonistic lifestyles.
  • Covid-19 is hitting the rich economies (USA, Europe, China), overturning our presumption that GDP must always be protected and increased. [Note: GDP]

  and, interestingly,

  • Covid-19 seems to be actually saving lives - in the less-affluent nations [Note: Saving lives]

• I find myself asking "Why has Covid-19 hit the affluent world, before the poorer world?" [Note: Covid-19 Figures]
• It brings Mary's prophecy to my mind:

  "He has brought down rulers from their thrones
      but has lifted up the humble.
  He has filled the hungry with good things
      but has sent the rich away empty."

• Is not "affluence, arrogance and unconcern" the reason God destroyed Sodom and exiled Judah (Ezekiel 16:49)?
• Does Covid-19 reveal that our affluent lifestyle and economy are bloated with much that is harmful and non-essential?

• Harmful:
  • Climate change emissions of our accustomed travel and transport - air travel is by far the worst per passenger;
  • Covid-19 seems to be disproportionately hitting those affected by air pollution;
  • Injustice to poorer peoples who grow exotic food for the affluent;
  • Does Covid-19 raise questions about our treatment of animals? [Note: Animals]
  • and so on.

• Most of the harm lands on those who did not cause it.

• Much of the harm comes from non-essentials, from extravagence [Note: Non-essentials]:
  • Do we need to travel so much as we aspired to?
  • Are so many business flights really necessary?
  • Do we really need so much entertainment, so many parties?
  • Is so much exotic food really necessary?
  • Are not fashion and prestige somewhat non-essential?

• Do not many of us aspire to, and expect, these things as 'normal'? Should we?

• Yet, has not Covid-19 shown us that they are not essential?
  • Has it not shown that pleasure and entertainment can be obtained locally with little expense?
  • Does it not remind us to be thankful for the everyday, little things, especially the natural world?
  • Has it not encouraged us to work at family life rather than escape to parties?
  • Has it not revealed a generosity in people that was often suppressed in the 'old normal'.

• Might Covid-19 reveal to us what could be dispensed with, or at least reduced, in what is called the New Normal?

• I wondered whether I could see the hand of God in this, especially regarding climate and environmental responsibility, in two ways. It was as though God were saying,
  • "You refuse to reduce your climate change emissions and your injustice to the poorer nations voluntarily, so I'll do it for you!".

    I heard one environmentalist recently remark, "We would try hard to shut down one airport - but Covid-19 has shut down many." II Kings 7 came to mind.

  • "After your recognition last year of the importance of climate and environmental responsibility, I want it to be made public whether you really mean it."

Repentance: Covid-19 Calls for a Change in Direction

• Is Covid-19 a warning by God that we need to repent? (Maybe one in a sequence?)
• Does Covid-19 call us to repentance (not just planning or will-power)?
  • Repentance is acknowledging that we were wrong and changing direction.
  • Repentance is the opposite of rationalising for self-justification.
  • Repentance is not just remorse, e.g. for past mistakes.
  • Repentance is change of heart, and affects future actions.

  • Repentance is necessary because it is the action of the heart - turning away idolatry and self-centredness - not just the will or the psychology.
  • Repentance is a challenge. Especially to our pride, selfishness and hidden injustice.
  • Repentance is what brings the deep relief that we crave.

• Repentance is what opens the way to rewiring our mindset as individuals and society. Repentance is what opens the way to revival.
• Repentance is needed by both individuals and collectives and society, by all levels and people in society, and by those who lead society and form our mindset.

• Repentance is needed over:
  • Our expectations of unlimited ease and enjoyment;
  • Our aspirations for unlimited pleasures and conveniences;
  • Our presuppositions of what is most important;
  • Our idols, to or for which we sacrifice other things (e.g. environment), often without thinking;
  • Our sacred cows like economic growth;
  • Our self-justification and self-centredness.

• Repentance means not "going back" nor "returning to normal" - because our "old normal" was harmful and even evil.
• Repentance is not an end in itself; repentance opens the way to rewiring.

Rewiring: Covid-19 Demands Deeper Changes than We Might Think: the 'New Normal'

• Will the 'New Normal' be just getting vaccines and a gradual return to what we had before? Not if repentance is needed. [Note: New Normal]
• Repentance must lead to deep changes.
• Rewiring, not just repairing nor even reprogramming.

  Rewiring is a metaphor that speaks of a very fundamental change. When we program a machine or computer, we change its behaviour, but programming is short-lived because we can reprogram it easily and often. When we rewire a machine we change it more fundamentally and the effect of that last much longer. We even change the kinds of programs it can accept. We might reprogram society or individual mindsets temporarily, with marketing, fashions, comedy or political campaigns. Rewiring society or mindsets is much deeper and more long-lasting.

  (I could have used the word "reforming", but to Christians that has historical connotations that would probably mislead us.)

• Likewise, the Bible speaks of "the heart" as something deeper than law or instructions.

• Rewiring is a challenge - to our presuppositions, our pride and our previous purposes.
• Yet there will be joy once we set our hearts on rewiring, a new sense of meaning, purpose, relief and shalom.

• How do we rewire?
• One effective way of rewiring society is the Gospel of Christ. It has a track record of rewiring the mindset of society and individuals a number of times over the past 2000 years.

  Examples: Wilberforce and his colleagues abolishing the slave trade; The UK Factory Acts etc. and the RSPCA in the 19th Century; The 1904 Welsh Revival solving the problem of drunkenness; Francis of Assissi; the Reformation. And, 2000 years ago, "These men have turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).

• This happens when we let the Gospel of Christ work fully in all three of its dimensions (not only justification, not only sanctification and Holy-Spirit power, but also these leading to action in the whole Creation) [Note: The Full Gospel of Christ].
• Has not historian Tom Holland shown the Gospel of Christ as "rippling out" in blessing to our world? [Note: Tom Holland]
• It is this that brings about the widespread change in heart needed for a rewiring that is sustained over a long period.

  Human activity like Extinction Rebellion has a part to play (in God's plan) but is often short-lived.

Responsibility: Covid-19 Makes us All Responsible, Some Specially So

• Responsibility of all human beings [Note: 'Radah'] [Note: Animals]
• Especially, these days, for climate and environment. [Note: Climate and environmental responsibility]
• Responsibility at all levels: individuals, organisations, the state and society.

• Has not Covid-19 shown that many people rise to the challenge when people face responsibility?

• Extra responsibility of three groups of people: the affluent, leaders and God's people. As follows:
  • Extra responsibility of the affluent, to disperse their wealth to the poor and use it for healing Creation, rather than looking after themselves and their own. This includes not only those we and the media see as wealthy, but also most who live in prosperous (affluent) countries.

    Is not our prosperity the result of the Gospel of Christ and Law given through Moses, so why do we treat it as though it belongs to us alone? Is it a coincidence that Covid-19 has hit the affluent first?

• Extra responsibility of leaders because they shape the mindsets of others and put structures in place that determine how society functions
  • Politicans and governments
  • Industry leaders
  • Media and the film industry
  • Academics, because they form the bodies of knowledge by which society operates
  • And the affluent peoples are influential in the world.

• Extra responsibility of those who represent God. See below.

Representation: Covid-19 Calls Us to Higher Things

• I believe God does not just assign responsibility but wants to act through, in and with us to fulfil that responsibility. How does God do this?
• Throughout the Bible we find the theme of representing God.
  • Human beings represent God to the rest of Creation.
  • The people of Israel represented God as a distinct nation among nations. [Note: Israel]
  • The prophets represent God to God's people (to remind and chide and encourage to God's ways and understanding).
  • Jesus Christ was God representing Godself within the Creation.
  • Those who follow Jesus (Christians) represent God among and to all peoples.

• "Representing God" involves (a) demonstrating and conveying God's character, (b) allowing God to work through us, (c) so that others might experience something of God and be drawn to God and live as God intended. See "http://abxn.org/nv/representation.html".

• Those who represent God have capabilities or characteristics that enable them to fulfil responsibilities:
  • Human beings are responsible as "Imago Dei" to 'shepherd' the rest of Creation so that it experiences God, its Creator, more fully. God gives human beings 'rule' over the rest of Creation in order fulfil that responsibility. Genesis 1:25-26 ("http://abxn.org/nv/shepherds.html").

  • The people of Israel were (are?) responsible for showing and enacting God's way of life as a nation, rather than merely seeking its own prosperity and glory. God gave Israel laws and protection in order to fulfil this responsibility.

  • Prophets are responsible to ensure they give God's message, not their own prejudices. God's Spirit comes upon prophets so they fulfil that responsibility.

  • Jesus Christ was responsible for correcting misunderstandings of God, showing the character of God fully in a way humans could best understand, and opening the way to God's intended full salvation - for instance as in Romans 8 ("http://abxn.org/nv/romans8.html"). Jesus was both fully divine and fully human and thus fulfilled and fulfils that responsibility.

  • Christians are responsible as to demonstrate God's attitude and lifestyle of love, joy, peace ... (Galatians 5:22-23), to invite all peoples into God's Kingdom and be the means by which God brings full salvation to "the world" (John 3:16). God gives forgiveness to, and indwells, those who truly follow Christ, in order to fulfil that responsibility. "We have the mind of Christ" (I Corinthians 2:16).

• I believe "the world" refers not just to human beings, but also the non-human Creation, and the various sectors of society that we treat as "secular", including academia, politics, economics, etc. [Note: Sacred-secular divide] [Note: animals]

• So Christians have the ability and responsibility to lead humanity in rewiring, to be "light" (Matthew 5) that both attracts and reveals.

  Now, here is a sombre theme ...

• Yet are we doing so? Do not Christians in affluent nations tick two of the three 'extra responsibility' boxes above, and Christian leaders tick all three? "Judgment begins first with the household of God."
• So might not God hold us affluent Christians most responsible for the destruction of the earth and society? And especially those of us who lead or teach? [Note: Amos]
• In the past God pulled down / uprooted what God had built up / planted [Note: Jeremiah 45]; might God be doing the same today?
  • God uprooted the people of Judah to Babylon. He had planted them, but then he uprooted them because they refused to represent God properly.
  • Is God uprooting Western Christianity today? Especially in Europe and America? The planting of this was the Reformational, Holiness and Pentecostal movements, but has the fruit we have borne been entirely to Christ's glory and the healing of Creation?

• Covid-19 seems like a disaster. But is it a warning of an even greater disaster to come? Would not God pulling down Western Christianity be such a greater disaster?

  Here is a challenge:

• Yet God turns away from disaster when we repent (e.g. I Kings 21:28, Jonah 3:10).
• God has presented Christians in affluent, influential nations with an opportunity to lead towards a New Normal that is more responsible to God's entire Creation, rather than aspiring to the old normal of selfish, harmful, extravagent affluence.
• Will we repent, and let our Saviour work through us, the One through whom God will "reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 2:20).
• We should no longer seek our own blessings and protection, but "live not for themselves but for Him who died for them and rose again." (II Corinthians 5:15)

• This is a privilege, not an imposition.
• Not only should we self-sacrificially care for the sick, as Christians have been excellent at for millennia, but we must also care for God's earth, taking a lead in the rewiring of individual and societal mindsets, with courage, challenge and love.
• We will be persecuted for this. So God offers Reassurance through Christ.

Reassurance: Covid-19 and Christ

• Where is the love of God in all this?
• Has not Covid-19 opened up possibilities for good that we did not (would not?) reach before?
  • Reductions in climate change emissions?
  • Cleaner air?
  • More exercise?
  • More family time?
  • More awareness of nature?
  • People's generosity aroused?
  • New people attending church?
  • Reminder of new lifestyle possibilities?
  • and so on.

• We will see, understand, appreciate when we look back.
• We will understand more fully the love of God
  • - for all and not just us.
• We will say again "He did all things well!"

• In that, I find reassurance.

• Representatives of God will be both feted and hated by the world - and even by those who think they represent God. Did not Jesus promise his followers persecution? So God gives reassurance.

• Are we afraid, as human beings, of Covid-19?
  • Of dying, or someone we love dying?
  • Of Covid-19 itself?
  • Of terrorists getting hold of something like it?
  • Of the New Normal, and how we will cope?

• Are we afraid of taking bold, unusual action to repent and rewire? I am afraid of:
  • Of ridicule or sidelining if we speak the message above?
  • Of anger if we speak of God's warnings?
  • Of rejection by other Christians?
  • Of dishonouring Christ by the action we take?

• Jesus asked his disciples "Why are you so afraid?" (Mark 4:40). So I know I have:
  • Reassurance of God's protection - e.g. Psalm 91 [Note];
  • Reassurance of God's provision;
  • Reassurance of God's pardon when I make mistakes in bold activity;
  • Reassurance of God's long-term plan - that Jesus is the final victor and will bring in God's full shalom.

• There is much we won't understand - not even with any insights that are in this article.
• As C.S. Lewis said, "These conjectures as to why God does what He does are probably of no more value than my dog's ideas of what I am up to when I sit and read."
• Yet I find the points discussed above give me enough understanding to act boldly.

Conclusion

I believe: through Covid-19, God has given us a chance to repent and to rewire towards a responsible New Normal. God gave humanity the dignity of responsibility and representation, and reassures those who respond. Especially responsible are God's people in affluent cultures. God now offers his people a special opportunity to lead the way in this facing realities, repenting, rewiring and responsibility. Will we take it?

The need for this has been becoming increasingly clear in the call for climate and environmental responsibility, but clarity has not been a strong enough incentive to bring this about among leaders of affluent nations, not even among God's people in affluent nations, so God has graciously allowed something that gives us more incentive. We need a New Normal characterized by responsibility, and God's people are in an excellent position to lead humanity and its leaders towards that.

Will we engage with Christ in doing this, or will we return to the our beloved harmful non-essentials? Let us go ahead in trust, humility and courageous obedience, working to take God's warnings seriously. Let God's people in academia, politics, media and management foster and lead society's debate and action about exit strategies and what the New Normal should look like. How should we pray? See some suggestions below [Note: Praying about the Covid-19 pandemic].

NOTES

Note. Responses to Covid-19

"It brings out the best in people" is conveyed by the many snippets I have heard on the radio or through Youtube of what people have done, some self-sacrifcing and some creative or fun. Many are helping each other. Every Thursday, people stand in their doorways and applaud the health workers. I have noticed that many more people are walking around our locality than ever before. Wonderful! And yet - how long will that last, and how can we ensure it does last? Even though the media like to portray heart-warming examples of the best, what about the worst? This article briefly suggests how this might occur.

Those are 'local' responses, of people within, and coping with, each situation. The remaining responses are ones that abstract away from the details, seeing the proverbial forest rather than individual trees. Such are the responses with which this article is mainly concerned.

"Get the economy back to normal" is Donald Trump's attitude, and that of some other politicians - but should we do so? What is normal and why should the old normal be preserved? Are there not parts of the economy that do not deserve to be rebuilt? This article suggests one basis on which the New Normal might be debated.

"It was prophesied" - but the prophets do not usually say what to do about it. One kept on saying "We must pray. We must pray\! ..." and got a round of applause for doing so - but gave no indication of what to pray. This article tries to think about God's Plan in more detail.

"It's the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse." - But surely there have been even worse plagues in the past.

"It's a punishment" - but for what? Some Christians too easily say it is for evils they see in secular society. This article shows that if there is punishment, it is for something much deeper, and it might especially fall on affluent Christians - on 'us' not 'them'.

"Don't try to understand, just lament" (N.T. Wright "https://time.com/5808495/coronavirus-christianity/"). - But this makes God distant and inscrutable, it makes hope too vague, and it robs us of incentive to repent and change. This article tries to put lamenting in context.

"God is mending the world" (Justin Brierley) - But how, and in what way, and what is our part in that? This article tries to show how.

Note. 'Christian'

Note. GDP

Yet GDP was not mandated by God, but by narrow human rationality. Do Jesus' words "You cannot serve God and Mammon" apply here? According to Bob Goudzwaard ('Idols of Our Time', IVP) economic growth is an idol. Should not those who follow Christ turn society away from this idol? Economic growth is not necessary for human flourishing.

To see how this might alter our understanding of GDP see 'Moving the Global Economy Towards a New Normal' ( "https://youtu.be/X_Y0fEGMrNA").

To read up on this try, e.g. T. Jackson (2009), 'Prosperity Without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet', London: Earthscan.

Note. Covid-19 Saves Lives ?

See "https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/17/coronavirus-could-be-saving-lives-pollution-carbon-emissions/5066718002/"

Note. Covid-19 Figures

Note. Animals

It might be no accident that, in Genesis 1, mammals and humans were created on the same 'day', strongly suggesting kinship rather than superiority. Thomas Ken's ancient doxology "Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise him all creatures here below" expresses a Biblical theme that all animals, and indeed all Creation, form a choir of cosmic praise to the Creator, with humans as leading that song (e.g. Psalms 104, 148). Do we usually leave this insight with the hymn sheet in the pew? Not only do we go home and eat the choir, but we pay an industry to provide animal flesh, knowing that it routinely entails the physical and sexual abuse animals, to serve what Paul calls the 'belly god'.

C.H. Spurgeon was very outspoken about those who claim to be Christians but who are cruel to animals. Does not Proverbs 12:10 tell us that animal cruelty is wickedness? Leviticus 18 tells us the bestiality is wrong. Around two-thirds of novel viruses originated in animal populations and were transmitted to humans as a result of the cruel way we exploit God's creatures. If it turns out, as is likely, that Covid-19 originated in this way, then it poses serious questions about how we treat animals. This is in addition to the fact that animal farming, with its travel and other processes, is the largest source of greenhouse gases.

Humans have responsibility to be good shepherds of the animal kingdom. It was, as one nonconformist put it, "sin which taught the master to eat the servant", and heinous evil has extended this to widespread, non-essential gluttony. This responsibility extends form individual choices about eating to national decisions about animal welfare.

Scripture refers to the restoration of animal-human relationships. The gospel is good news for animals. Historically, when christians have turned to the bible, animals have benefited, both individually and legislatively. Jesus shows us what this looks like. From the outset of His ministry to His entry into Jerusalem, Jesus sets us an example of how we should treat animals. Should not Christians represent Jesus properly in this matter? If we changed our treatment of animals to facilitate their disclosure and worship of God, many environmental issues would be alleviated.

Note. Non-essentials

However, some Christians (and others) dislike such a message. A couple of people reacted to a draft with: But does not God want us to enjoy ourselves? What about music? What about enjoyable food from developing nations - does it not provide an income for those who grow it? We were really blessed when we flew abroad. Is not God extravagent in providing for us and blessing us?

These questions have challenged me all my life alongside the notion of responsibility, and a full answer cannot be found here. Yes, God supports "non essential" delight - indeed, God wants the entire Creation, human and non-human, to "sing" and "clap". Yes, even plants like trees or vegetables; CS Lewis expressed it as "the kind of joy a vegetable can have".

Yet, is there not something deeply evil when we the affluent demand, expect and justify increasing amounts of pleasure, comfort or convenience for ourselves when the provision of them harms others? Exotic foods grown in Kenya for example rob local people of land to grow their own food. Is it right to import (demand, expect) tropical fruits (oranges are 90% water) from lands without enough water for their own people? Does not this transfer water in the wrong direction? Is it right to fly to developing nations and stay there when (a) flying disproportionately serves the wealthy (only 20% of the world' population have ever flown) and contributes disproportionately to climate change emissions, (b) our expectation of certain levels of comfort, water-availability, food, etc. puts unseen pressures on local resources? Christian development agencies like TearFund have recognised these realities for years; are our donations to them doing much more than merely undoing the damage that we ourselves do?

There is no easy answer to those those questions. I don't want to ban pleasures. But do the questions above not disguise a self-centredness that is not of Christ? Whatever level of affluence we enjoy, do we not think it is 'ok' and only those richer than us are extravagent? Should we not "take heed to ourselves", questioning our assumptions, expectations, aspirations and 'demands'? Maybe we can get just as much joy out of life by simple, local things, especially the natural world? They say "Travel broadens the mind" - but does it not also narrow the mind, like a telescope offers a narrow view of distant things so we don't see what's near?

Link: "thegenerosityproject.com".

Note. The New Normal

Do we not need to avoid going back to the full panoply of harmful extravagence that characterized the affluent lifestyle? At least to some extent? Covid-19 has revealed that people, including Christians, have shown (a) some awareness that things before were "non-essential" and even harmful, (b) some willingness to find good in the simple things of life including the natural world. Is that not fertile soil for debate about what the New Normal should look like?

Debate must involve everyone and will take some time, so we need to begin it very soon. Yet our politicians and opinion formers are not seriously leading on this. Is this an opportunity for God's people to take a godly, loving, humble and bold and challenging lead?

It seems to me the following things need to be debated:

• Which sectors of our lifestyle or the economy should we (government or society) revivify, and which not?
• How do we lessen the impact job loss etc. in the sectors that should shrink?
• How do we as a society achieve this? For instance, against powerful interests of the old normal?

I believe that Christians who are fully dedicated to Christ have an opportunity and responsibility, with reassurance, to help society think this through. We are called to work towards the harmony of Creation is God's Plan in Christ, which includes what happens here on this earth as well as in the New Earth. It includes especially climate and environmental responsibility.

Note. The Full Gospel of Christ

• Dimension 1: people's justification before God through the atoning death of Christ (Romand 8:1) - but more ...
• Dimension 2: a here-and-now dynamic relationship with God, involving sanctification and Holy-Spirit power (Romans 8:14) - but more ...
• Dimension 3: both of those leading to God's mature people representing God (see below) to the rest of Creation in the way God originally intended in Genesis 1 (Romans 8:19-21).

  "Rest of Creation" includes (a) the non-human world of 'nature', (b) other humans, especially the poor, (c) secular areas of life, such as economics and academia.

That is what enables rewiring of society -

people who know peace with God, who have let the Holy Spirit dwell with in every part of their lives, growing love, joy, peace, patience ... (Galatians 5:22-23), who then have their Heavenly Father's attitude of proactive love towards all Creation.

It is Dimension 3 that leads to rewiring, but rewiring will be unsustainable without Dimensions 1 and 2.

Human attempts to rewire, without the three dimensions, e.g. by Extinction Rebellion, might not be sustainable over the longer term. Yet they are not to be condemned nor wasted; It is the Spirit of God who implants desires for this, and we need to work with them as God leads.

Rewiring must involve action at individual and societal levels:

• evangelism,
• healing the hurts of the world through the power and compassion of Christ,
• working to change political structures,
• working to change attitudes (e.g. via the media),
• working to change presuppositions, aspirations, expectations, and beliefs (e.g. via academic research in the sciences, via art).

Of these:

• Has evangelism fallen out of fashion among Christians?
• Is healing the world where there is currently most Christian activity?
• Working to change political structures has been the focus of some Christian groups for decades, but have they been as effective as they could be?
• Working to change attitudes via the media has hardly begun.
• Working to change presuppositions etc. via academic research and art has hardly begun, though there are a few groups trying to do so, such as Christian Academic Network and European Leadership Forum, Transforming the Mind, and Transforming Work.

Note. Tom Holland

Note. 'Radah'

Note. Climate and Environmental Responsibility

I wonder whether "affluence, arrogance and unconcern", the reasons for which Judah was taken away (Ezekiel 16:49), are the main causes of the current climate and environmental crisis. Rather than imaging God to the rest of Creation, have we not destroyed it or at least acquiesced in that destruction because of our aspirations for comforts and conveniences of affluent life?

To be frank, I believe that those Christians who deny or seek to downplay our climate and environmental responsibility are dishonouring Christ and working against what God is doing today. It saddens me. See "http://abxn.org/ccge/".

Note. Israel

Note. Sacred-secular Divide

(This is not universal salvation; the Bible clearly shows that some go to perdition - but it is the proud, arrogant, unconcerned who do so. See the difference in attitude between those on the king's right and left (sheep, goats) in Jesus' parable. Salvation is probably much wider than most evangelicals presume.)

Note. Amos and the Difference in Responsibility

Note. Jeremiah 45

I wondered: Might something similar happen to God's second people, Christians as a whole? Then I realised that God had built up Western Christianity to be a beacon in the world, but we had refused to represent God aright, especially in the major issue of climate and environmental responsibility. So might God be pulling down Western Christianity? Recent events, like 9/11, economic crises and now Covid-19, could perhaps indicate this. See "http://abxn.org/discussion/jeremiah45.html".

Note. Psalm 91 and God's Promise of Protection

I believe that God does protect individuals. Such protection is not automatic, not a mechanical law, and God does sometimes allow the 'elect' to 'suffer' (often in ways that even the sufferer recognises are a blessing). That is a complex issue, which includes our mis-perceptions of what is 'suffering', and is not discussed here. What is more important here is protecting others - from infection by me and from my setting a bad example. We are called to "look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4). 'Food offered to idols' comes to mind. In that attitude, I should lockdown etc. for the sake of others. And rejoice humbly in the bigger picture, such as this article has tried to paint.

Note. Praying about the Covid-19 Pandemic

• "Intercede for God's mercy"
• "Give thanks for those caring for vulnerable people"
• "Ask God to grant success to medical researchers"
• "Pray for our churches"
• "Pray for those in badly affected places"
• "Pray for the NHS"
• "Ask God to watch over those in need of rescue and support"
• "Call on God to pour out his Spirit upon his people"
• "Pray about the economic effects"
• "Intercede for leaders around the world."

Most of them respond to the problems we face in the situation, as sufferers of Covid-19. On reading those, I felt something was missing, and was challenged to ask myself, what else would I pray? So I began to put down some notes of what else I might pray, and the following ten points flowed out quickly, without much struggle (which, in my life is often a sign of something being 'right'). The list below is different, being about the bigger, longer-term picture, and how to move forward to the 'New Normal'.

• Thank God for the good that still lies in human beings, and that it has been revealed by the pandemic.
• Thank God especially for the NHS workers who are sacrificing themselves for us all and ask that God's blessing will come upon them.
• Intercede for God's mercy on and protection of Africa and the Two-thirds World that lack the huge resources in their health systems that are in the affluent nations.
• Plead with God to open the eyes of our leaders to the reality of the damage we have been doing in and to the world.
• Thank God for his mercy in sending messages to warn us to open up to reality and repent.
• Intercede for the people of God to wake up to our role as representing God among the peoples, and the responsibility that goes along with this: a responsibility to not live for ourselves or our comfort, but for Him who dies for us and rose again.
• Plead that God's people will see their own need of repentance - lack of deep discipleship, for living for ourselves more than representing God among the people.
• Plead for a spirit of repentance among the affluent peoples of the world and their leaders (as occurred in Nineveh), turning away from our previous idol of affluence.
• Ask God to move his people to take a lead in the repentance, rethinking and rewiring that is needed in the world.

Maybe we can pray from the two lists together. (See "http://abxn.org/covid19.praying.html".)

This page, "http://abxn.org/covid19-init.html" is part of Andrew Basden's abxn.org pages - pages that open up discussion and exploration from a Christian ('xn') perspective. Written on the Amiga with Protext, in the style of classic HTML.

Comments, queries welcome. or send message to:

       

Copyright (c) Andrew Basden at all dates below. But you may use this material subject to certain easy conditions.

Created: 9 April - 24 May 2020 by Andrew Basden with help from Maurice Manktelow, Paulo Ribeiro, Andy Sawyer, Sue Halliday, Judith Basden, Phil Sampson, all of whom provided valuable comments, some of which forced me to think hard.

Last updated: 13 April 2020 responded to some of AS's comments, and MM's. Began splitting responsibility. 15 April 2020 responded to more comments, especially about non-essentials. 16 April 2020 finalising I hope. 18 April 2020 Typos; New Normal, Covid-19 Figures, extra bits. That version. Removed email address from website version. 19 April 2020 added thanks, new .end, a bit more on responses, CSL. 20 April 2020 a few minor rewordings. That version. 21 April 2020 what to pray; responsibility shown. Rid about marketing. That version. 26 April 2020 hand of God. 28 April 2020 revamp some collections of bullets to make them less confusing, and moved the bit about 3 Dimensions of Salvation to Notes. Added about Tom Holland, added link to Non-essentials not. That version. 28 April 2020b wrote missing not on Jeremiah 45, and inserted internal links. That version. 1 May 2020 Air pollution. 5 May 2020 Most harm lands on those who did not cause it; persuasion, generosityproject, praying repentance away from affluence idol. 6 May 2020 Psalm 91. Added http links and pdf version. 7 May 2020 a few minor changes. 9 May 2020 saves lives. 16 May 2020 on repentance; finished piece on saving lives. 17 May 2020 a few changes to Repentance, and small error; what God says. Better on non-essentials. 19 May 2020 small rewording of conclusion. 24 May 2020 returned first section to 'Realities' instead of 'Rethinking'; 'where is the love of God'? Animals. That version. 26 May 2020 Ezekiel 16:49. 10 June 2020 added GDP video. 10 June 2020: Renamed as covid19-init.html and replaced by a rearranged, shorter version, which seems easier to read, ". 23 October 2024 canon, bgx.