Dallas Corona Spread
A chart shows the continued rise of COVID-19 cases in Dallas County, Texas.
A United Methodist Insight Column
How does the history of significant events get written? While a lot of history is written by “the winners,” I suspect that the history of the global coronavirus pandemic, taking place in the age of social media, will be much different. A noteworthy idea has emerged from secular journalism that could help local churches capture the many effects of COVID-19 on their congregations and communities: a people’s history of the coronavirus pandemic.
There’s actually a private Facebook group by that name, People’s History of the Corona Pandemic, started by Tamman Aloudat, a Syrian doctor affiliated with Doctors Without Borders (Medicins San Frontieres). Dr. Aloudat recently was interviewed by The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists about his idea and the experience of providing a place for people to share their encounters with the coronavirus pandemic.
What if your church created something similar to document how COVID-19 has affected your congregational life? At the very least, some kind of social media documentation would help create a local church history to provide background for future generations as to why you’re doing the things you’ll do henceforth. A coronavirus church history also could be a witness to the faith and compassion shared during this difficult, uncertain time.
Read the Bulletin’s interview with Dr. Aloudat, The coronavirus pandemic: A people’s first draft of history. Then visit the General Commission on Archives and History for an excellent guideline, “How to Write a Church History,” by the late historical scholar Dr. Frederick Maser. Let others know what you’re doing by sending a summary of your project to United Methodist Insight.
Speaking of history, here’s a note from the Monday issue of the New York Times’ Morning Briefing newsletter. David Leonhardt writes about the peak infection time for New York City:
“Over the next couple of weeks, it’s going to be important to keep this recent history in mind. Without mass testing — and the United States is not doing mass testing — there is a lag before a virus outbreak becomes apparent. Most people who develop symptoms don’t do so for at least five days, and sometimes longer. The worst symptoms usually take almost three weeks to appear.”
Given this reality, United Methodist bishops’ decisions to keep churches closed until late May or early June don't look so onerous now, do they?
Let the evidence speak
If anyone in your congregation or annual conference insists the coronavirus pandemic started from a leak at a virology lab in Wuhan, China, suggest that they read this article in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Let evidence, not talk radio, determine whether the outbreak started in a lab. There’s another excellent article: Will the WHO call for an international investigation into the coronavirus’s origins?, that gives more background into investigations thus far about how the virus that causes COVID-19 actually started. For some reason, people who identify themselves as "evangelicals" seem more susceptible to conspiracy theories regarding the origins of the pandemic.
Media Mentions as of May 17, 2020
Too many evangelical Christians fall for conspiracy theories online, and gullibility is not a virtue – The Dallas Morning News*
Federal judge blocks NC governor's restrictions on religious services – Raleigh News & Observer
Loving, adapting amid coronavirus pandemic to LGBTQ community – Charlotte Post
Churches prepare for reopening in Phase 1 – KPLC
On the first Sunday congregations could reopen, a church called Hopeful Baptist lived up to its name – The Washington Post*
Charges dropped against Florida pastor who held church services despite stay-at-home orders – CNN
Coronavirus may have spread at a church service. Now the pastor is speaking out – Los Angeles Times*
Houses of worship gain audience by going online during virus – The Associated Press
The science of prayer – The Wall Street Journal*
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.