Epidemics, Pandemics, and Plagues: How the Church Responded throughout History, and Implications for Churches in Battling the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The recent outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in massive disruption of the ‘normal’ in every area of life. Apart from creating fear, confusion, and uncertainty, the pandemic has led to a new way of life in society and the church. How can Christians live out their biblical mandate of ministering to the church and the world based on such a background? Over the last 2000 years, there has been a repeated emergence of plagues and pandemics of devastating nature. In these different eras, Christians (and corporately as the church) responded to plagues in ways that can offer insight to the modern church. The paper employs a case study method to examine how the church responded to selected epidemics and plagues throughout history. The exploration looks at the following selected plagues: the Antonine Plague (AD 165), the Plague of Cyprian (AD 250-270), the Plague of Justinian (AD 541 and 750), the Black Death (from AD 1348 and 1500s), the Third Pandemic (AD 1855-1959), and Ebola (AD 1976-2017). The study highlights practical considerations for contemporary churches as they battle with the Covid-19 pandemic.