Hoping you’re all staying healthy out there – the pandemic effect on this blog continues with another full week of posts. And because a whole bunch of you are in lockdown, there’s more link goodness here than usual. So first…
The Pandemic…
I saw this on a friend’s social media and thought it an excellent perspective. Worth thinking about – it’s originally from a doctor in India:
“Social distancing is a privilege. It means you live in a house large enough to practice it. Hand washing is a privilege too. It means you have access to running water. Hand sanitizers are a privilege. It means you have money to buy them. Lockdowns are a privilege. It means you can afford to be at home. A disease spread by the rich as they flew around the globe will now kill millions of the poor.”
- Coronavirus Info-Database – this is an excellent collection of sensible, accurate and helpful information.
- How the Virus Got Out – almost unstoppable
- Sweden: The New Superpower – this article praises the Swedish response but I think it’s a bit premature because Sweden hasn’t yet been really put to the test by this virus. Expect that to happen in the next couple of weeks.
- More People Are Now in ‘Lockdown’ Than Were Alive During World War II – Astonishing!
- Ikea Instructions for COVID-19 Quarantine – a little levity from the Big Blue & Yellow.
…and the Church’s response
- Pastors from Europe Tell North America: Get Ready Now
- Secularity, Political Christianity, and COVID-19: Sovereign Conditions for Gospel Movement
- What are the theological questions involved in our new normal?
- Normal death is not in lockdown and The tomb is far emptier than the shelves will ever be
- Fear and the Power of Why
- Life Together for a Church Apart: Lessons from Bonhoeffer for COVID-19
- When Corona Makes Us More Like the New Testament
The Week’s Postings
Sunday: Faith in uncertain times
Monday: Nothing but… – this pandemic is perhaps THE biggest global story for 75 years
Tuesday: Thoughts & resources on the online church
Wednesday: What will we do with the bread & wine?
Thursday: Is all this extra tech good for us?
Friday:
Related reading
- (How) can we celebrate Holy Communion as ‘online’ church?
- Practising the Ordinances in a Pandemic
- The FAQs: Answering Tech Questions Pastors Are Asking – Very, very helpful.
More related reading
- I recently wrote about the plague of locusts and it’s still possible that more will die as a result of starvation from this then from COVID-19
- A few weeks back I wrote about polyamory…well since then this in the Guardian, this in the BBC and a response from Denny Burk.
From the archives
“We all know that communion is always theologically rich but often experientially poor while our sung worship can be the exact opposite. There are lots of reasons why that might be the case but I am frequently challenged to invest more into our practise of communion.” – A neglected meal
Bonus Material
Seven posts that caught my eye recently
- A scandal in Oxford: the curious case of the stolen gospel
- Do We Really Believe in Demons?
- Why the Simple Life Is Not Just Beautiful, It’s Necessary
- Why Should the Human Species Survive?
- Why I Am (Still) A Christian – I really related to this.
- How I Finally Made Flossing a Habit – And this!
- 100 Amazing World Maps
Eye-catching stuff
Underwater Photographer of the Year – as ever some stunning photos here.
Seven Twitter highlights
- Church barometer of health
- Asking & answering the right questions
- How to do a zoom prayer meeting for 250 people
- Home office optimization services
- ‘Shut up and learn with me!’
- Live commentary on the mundane
- Not what I expected
Something to watch
I think I remember watching this. Tomorrow’s World was good TV. (HT: Twisted Sifter)
Have a great weekend.
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