God and Nature Summer 2020
The science-faith duopoly in a COVID-19 world |
|
By D Gareth Jones
As I have read extensively about the relevance of God in this pandemic, I have been unable to escape from the role of science in combatting the ravages created by an out-of-control virus. Public health specialists and epidemiologists have emerged as the countries’ saviours as thousands of lives have been saved by following their mantra of lockdown, physical distancing, widespread testing for the virus, and ‘elimination’. This approach has been rigorously played out from very early in the pandemic in my country of New Zealand, and it appears to have achieved remarkably positive results on the health front. As a biomedical scientist, I applaud the way in which science has been used to save human life, but, as a Christian, I have had to ask what contribution the church has made to these efforts. Or, to use more familiar language, where has God been in this pandemic?
The churches have closed under lockdown, as they had to, and they have done their best to function in an online capacity. Undoubtedly, different churches have experienced varying degrees of success as they have sought to retain a sense of community in a world where true human contact is forbidden. And some have struggled to provide a specifically Christ-centred message because they have been uncertain what it amounts to in this chaotic, upside-down world.
As I have read extensively about the relevance of God in this pandemic, I have been unable to escape from the role of science in combatting the ravages created by an out-of-control virus. Public health specialists and epidemiologists have emerged as the countries’ saviours as thousands of lives have been saved by following their mantra of lockdown, physical distancing, widespread testing for the virus, and ‘elimination’. This approach has been rigorously played out from very early in the pandemic in my country of New Zealand, and it appears to have achieved remarkably positive results on the health front. As a biomedical scientist, I applaud the way in which science has been used to save human life, but, as a Christian, I have had to ask what contribution the church has made to these efforts. Or, to use more familiar language, where has God been in this pandemic?
The churches have closed under lockdown, as they had to, and they have done their best to function in an online capacity. Undoubtedly, different churches have experienced varying degrees of success as they have sought to retain a sense of community in a world where true human contact is forbidden. And some have struggled to provide a specifically Christ-centred message because they have been uncertain what it amounts to in this chaotic, upside-down world.
"God’s purposes on the one hand, and epidemiology and public health advice on the other, complement each other; in no sense are they mutually exclusive." |
But this is not the first occasion on which Christians have been confronted by an out-of-control virus. Pandemics have been a regular feature of human existence for countless years. During the early part of the 16th century, two well-known Christian reformers, Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther, lived through plagues. Both remained in their respective towns even though they could have fled. Luther was criticized for this, and in response he wrote a now famous letter: Whether one may flee from a deadly plague. The bottom line for him was caring for one’s neighbour, the community, and taking the necessary steps to protect others. For Luther, we are bound to each other and are not to forsake others in their distress. He urged people to take medicine, to disinfect their homes, and to avoid people and places in an effort not to spread the disease.
Luther’s pragmatism is amazing in the absence of the epidemiological and public health knowledge available today. He was driven by his theology and biblical insights. He did not appear to have indulged in much theologising as to whether God had purposes for the bubonic plague and whether it flowed from the eternal counsel of God.
Closer to the present time, there have been repeated devastating pandemics from the 1918-1920 ‘Spanish’ flu, to Ebola, Zika, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003, MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), and the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009. Unfortunately, most countries failed to benefit from the lessons of these catastrophes as other activities were given greater priority over human health and wellbeing. But these are responsibilities given to humans by God, and their neglect is a manifestation of sin.
Human beings have forgotten how vulnerable we are, and we are tempted to act as though we are indestructible. We think of ourselves as omnipotent, and our lifestyles reflect this dangerous assertion. COVID-19 is a wake-up call that forces us to recognize the vulnerability of our bodies and our coexistence with viruses and bacteria, all of which are integral parts of God’s world.
Faced by a pandemic, our pretension to control the world is shattered. It is one of the illusions of some scientists that complete control is feasible and that death may even be vanquished. Tragically, Western Christians have also become addicted to control over the natural world, so that when that control falters, they feel let down by God. They forget that they have been immeasurably blessed by their God-bestowed human creativity in exploring the world and developing means of controlling it through the development of vaccines and numerous other agents. God has been at work in and through medical technology and the numerous blessings it bestows upon us. And God is still at work as scientists in laboratories throughout the world seek to define the genetic characteristics of this particular virus and find ways of combatting its ill-effects in human beings.
Medical science is the hand of God at work in a fallen world. God’s purposes on the one hand, and epidemiology and public health advice on the other, complement each other; in no sense are they mutually exclusive. However, even the search for a vaccine can be deceptive because our ultimate hope does not rest in a vaccine but in God’s gracious dealings with us in and through a vaccine. Important as it will be to find a vaccine, our ultimate hope lies in Jesus Christ and what he offers. The next pandemic to come along will, in its turn, require a different vaccine.
Epidemics are integral to a fallen world, in which human beings are inextricably linked to all of nature. This is the world in which we live, and recognition of this in no way denigrates our belief that God cares deeply for the world with all its suffering and angst. This was exemplified supremely in the incarnation, when God became human to live and suffer along with all other human beings. But things go wrong because we are human, and this is the world over which God has ultimate control.
Natural disasters occur repeatedly, and the death toll from earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanos can be catastrophic, but millions also die each year from starvation and eradicable infections. The magnitude of the death toll generally depends upon misguided human decision-making, political ineptitude, and social inequality. In other words, the tragedies are so often made worse by human selfishness, injustice, and overlooking the needs of the poor and vulnerable. The challenge for Christians is to be active in seeking to demonstrate that we live in a world marked by stability and order, where even a virus is a creation of remarkable complexity that shows forth God’s handiwork. Human beings have the ability to unlock the secrets of the structure of viruses, how they function, and why they are such a danger to human beings. These are gifts from God and should be welcomed and utilized by people of faith, who have confidence that God is leading them as they explore and dissect this small area within God’s magnificent universe.
We are to find a balance between the assurance that God is in control and our human responsibility to determine how best to overcome the worst effects of a pandemic whose spread we do not currently have an assured way of preventing. In doing this, we are to be guided by Christ’s overriding commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:29-30). The service of others as those loved by God is fundamental and leads to altruistic actions on our part. Abiding by public health measures is a crucial way of protecting others as well as ourselves, and it is an outcome of love for one’s neighbour.
Gareth Jones is an Emeritus Professor of Anatomy at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He has written extensively on science-faith issues, especially at the interface of biomedical science, medical technology, reproductive technologies, and the Chrisiain faith. He has also written a great deal on ethical issues relating to anatomical uses of the dead human body. He is a member of ASA and has written on a number of occasions in PSCF.
Luther’s pragmatism is amazing in the absence of the epidemiological and public health knowledge available today. He was driven by his theology and biblical insights. He did not appear to have indulged in much theologising as to whether God had purposes for the bubonic plague and whether it flowed from the eternal counsel of God.
Closer to the present time, there have been repeated devastating pandemics from the 1918-1920 ‘Spanish’ flu, to Ebola, Zika, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003, MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), and the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009. Unfortunately, most countries failed to benefit from the lessons of these catastrophes as other activities were given greater priority over human health and wellbeing. But these are responsibilities given to humans by God, and their neglect is a manifestation of sin.
Human beings have forgotten how vulnerable we are, and we are tempted to act as though we are indestructible. We think of ourselves as omnipotent, and our lifestyles reflect this dangerous assertion. COVID-19 is a wake-up call that forces us to recognize the vulnerability of our bodies and our coexistence with viruses and bacteria, all of which are integral parts of God’s world.
Faced by a pandemic, our pretension to control the world is shattered. It is one of the illusions of some scientists that complete control is feasible and that death may even be vanquished. Tragically, Western Christians have also become addicted to control over the natural world, so that when that control falters, they feel let down by God. They forget that they have been immeasurably blessed by their God-bestowed human creativity in exploring the world and developing means of controlling it through the development of vaccines and numerous other agents. God has been at work in and through medical technology and the numerous blessings it bestows upon us. And God is still at work as scientists in laboratories throughout the world seek to define the genetic characteristics of this particular virus and find ways of combatting its ill-effects in human beings.
Medical science is the hand of God at work in a fallen world. God’s purposes on the one hand, and epidemiology and public health advice on the other, complement each other; in no sense are they mutually exclusive. However, even the search for a vaccine can be deceptive because our ultimate hope does not rest in a vaccine but in God’s gracious dealings with us in and through a vaccine. Important as it will be to find a vaccine, our ultimate hope lies in Jesus Christ and what he offers. The next pandemic to come along will, in its turn, require a different vaccine.
Epidemics are integral to a fallen world, in which human beings are inextricably linked to all of nature. This is the world in which we live, and recognition of this in no way denigrates our belief that God cares deeply for the world with all its suffering and angst. This was exemplified supremely in the incarnation, when God became human to live and suffer along with all other human beings. But things go wrong because we are human, and this is the world over which God has ultimate control.
Natural disasters occur repeatedly, and the death toll from earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanos can be catastrophic, but millions also die each year from starvation and eradicable infections. The magnitude of the death toll generally depends upon misguided human decision-making, political ineptitude, and social inequality. In other words, the tragedies are so often made worse by human selfishness, injustice, and overlooking the needs of the poor and vulnerable. The challenge for Christians is to be active in seeking to demonstrate that we live in a world marked by stability and order, where even a virus is a creation of remarkable complexity that shows forth God’s handiwork. Human beings have the ability to unlock the secrets of the structure of viruses, how they function, and why they are such a danger to human beings. These are gifts from God and should be welcomed and utilized by people of faith, who have confidence that God is leading them as they explore and dissect this small area within God’s magnificent universe.
We are to find a balance between the assurance that God is in control and our human responsibility to determine how best to overcome the worst effects of a pandemic whose spread we do not currently have an assured way of preventing. In doing this, we are to be guided by Christ’s overriding commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:29-30). The service of others as those loved by God is fundamental and leads to altruistic actions on our part. Abiding by public health measures is a crucial way of protecting others as well as ourselves, and it is an outcome of love for one’s neighbour.
Gareth Jones is an Emeritus Professor of Anatomy at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He has written extensively on science-faith issues, especially at the interface of biomedical science, medical technology, reproductive technologies, and the Chrisiain faith. He has also written a great deal on ethical issues relating to anatomical uses of the dead human body. He is a member of ASA and has written on a number of occasions in PSCF.