Religious studies

Examine the response of a particular religion to the coronavirus crisis. It should be a religion that is familiar to you, either your own, or closely related. You should discuss, if possible, the official response by global/national leaders of the religion, and popular/local responses by individuals and communities.

Your essay must include the following information:

Give the full name of the religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, etc.) and what branch of that religion (i.e. Orthodox, Baptist, Soto Zen, etc.), and the geographic location or locations mentioned in your sources.
Locate, and give the full web link to at least 3 reliable news sources that discuss the response of this religion to the coronavirus. For newspaper/news articles or videos, examples include CNN, The New York Post, Al Jazeera, BBC News, Time. You may also use web pages or articles written by the leadership of the religion or the place of worship, i.e. statements by bishops, imams, pastors, rabbis, or statements from the web page of the place of worship you’re discussing. Social media posts by private individuals stating their own opinions or responses online do not count as sources, they must be institutional or journalistic!
Has the global/national religious leadership given a public statement responding to the virus? What is the main point or points of this statement, and what religious teachings or values does the statement refer to in support of its points? Is their statement complying with the orders and advice of government and health officials, or rejecting it? Why or why not? Give the web link to the statement.
What has been the reaction from members of this religion? Have they agreed with/followed the directions of their leadership, or disagreed? Do they give reasons for their response? Are they complying with government and health requirements or not?
Describe in detail any physical changes in services of worship. Has the religion stopped live services of worship? Is it practicing social distancing in places of worship? Are members of the religion engaged in any volunteer or charitable work to help victims of the coronavirus and its economic/social effects?
If you examine the response of a specific place of worship, please answer the following. Is the place of worship part of a larger religious institution, or is it independent? Give the full web address of the place, and the web link for any online pictures/videos/live feeds that you saw.
You should not describe or explain the religion’s beliefs, practices, or doctrines in general, just what it is doing differently, or how it is responding to the epidemic.
Again, your essay should be between 1000 and 1200 words.

I am christian and I’d like my paper to be familiar with that.

ANSWER

Christians Physical Changes in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

Coronavirus has left a trail of deaths and infections since its emergence. The religious sector is one of the most affected because followers unite in large numbers for worship and prayers. Religious leaders across various churches were forced to close down their doors to avoid the spread of the disease during worship and other religious activities. They move to online services to keep in touch with the people. Later, some of these institutions have reopened their doors and called for social distancing. Today, believers are strategically positioned in the church to keep the required space, as highlighted by the government and healthcare stakeholders. In efforts to offer support, church members provide mental health services and funding opportunities to support Coronavirus victims. Online church sessions and social distancing are vital mechanisms that churches have laid down to handle the Coronavirus challenge and continue their worship freedom.

Online Sessions

One of the major physical changes developed across the Christian domain is the closure of church doors and delivery of online church sessions. Religious groups are conducting online services due to accelerating vital transmission (Kumar & Indira, 2020). This has aided in reducing exposure to the disease. Coronavirus has taken the world by storm and called for a shift of religious practices that safeguard the lives of the followers and the public. The disease spreads rapidly, and the Christian community of believers needed to adopt strategies to limit exposure to the illness. Church leaders close doors to ensure that the followers do not come to church for any form of worship or prayer. For example, the Church of Nativity, located in Bethlehem, closed all its doors for the worshipers (Kaur, 2020). This is an effective strategy that helps to protect and save lives considering church attendees have practices that keep them closer to each other. For instance, they often shake hands, and this culture is a risk factor in the spread of the Coronavirus. St. Peter’s Square Church in Rome has shifted to video sessions to pray and undertake other religious activities (Kaur, 2020). The physical closure and shift to video sessions have saved the globe numerous lives. It has continued to allow church believers to pass biblical messages and understand God’s mission in these hard times. Besides video sessions, social distancing is another key approach that religious leaders have adopted currently in worship places.

Social Distancing

A section of the global churches have opened their doors recently and incorporated the social distancing directive. They have limited the number of people who can attend a service to reduce this viral disease spread. The Cornerstone Church in Frenso highlighted that it would reopen its doors for in-person worship (Dias, 2020). It has called on its followers to observe safety as it reopens its doors for worship sessions. Members are expected to follow distance directives, where the institution has segmented 3000 seats for the weekly attendance sessions (Dias, 2020). The religious leaders have also called out on its members to avoid hand shaking as it is one of the conditions that could accelerate the disease’s spread. Social distancing has become the norm of the day across various Christian-based religious institutions. According to Cep (2020), the world has shifted to the social distancing protocol to ensure that it provides opportunities for individuals to engage in worship. It has generated viable results as it had curtailed the spread of the virus and, at the same time, fulfilled the right of worship. As Adegboyega et al. (2020) highlight, people should not give up on meeting for worship but should encourage each other in these disturbing times. Social distancing enables church believers to unite and pray for each other. Overall, Christian churches have accepted the social distancing directive as it safeguards their health and well-being.

Charitable Work to Help Coronavirus Victims

Christian followers are offering mental health services to offer support systems for victims of the Coronavirus pandemic. These believers are offering positive religious coping strategies to boost mental health outcomes (Thomas & Barbato, 2020). Petition prayers and support from the clergy are some of the approaches that Christians have adopted to offer support to victims of this pandemic. This has helped reduce social effects associated with anxiety, stress, and depression due to the impact caused by the disease. For example, if a family loses a member, they are likely to develop stress or depression. However, through mental health services, these individuals can learn to manage the outcomes. Financial aid is another charitable engagement that the followers continue to adopt to offer a helping hand to the disadvantaged community members. As Kumar and Indira (2020) reveal, urgent financial aid provides a boost in economically degrading communities. Coronavirus victims have benefitted from these sources as they boost their living standards amidst hard and hectic times. Even though the diseases have affected everyone socially and economically, community members should learn to provide a helping hand where necessary.

Conclusion

Coronavirus continues to pose a significant threat to religious activities. Since the disease emerged, churches have closed down due to this condition’s fear and anxiety. However, online services and social distancing provides an opportunity for Christian church members to continue preaching and accomplishing God’s world. There is a dire need to adhere to the rules and regulations to limit the disease’s spread. Observing and aligning daily duties to meet these requirements will deliver the expected outcomes. Hand washing, social distancing, wearing masks, and other recommended approaches must always be observed across various church settings. Notably, people must continue supporting each other during these harsh times as unity and togetherness will enable the world to win the war against this pandemic.

References

Adegboyega, A., Boddie, S., Dorvie, H., Bolaji, B., Adedoyin, C., & Moore, S. E. (2020). Social distance impact on church gatherings: Socio-behavioral implications. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2020.1793869

Cep, C. (2020). The Gospel in a Time of Social Distancing. The New Yorker. Retrieved 11 December 2020, from https://www.newyorker.com/news/on-religion/the-gospel-in-a-time-of-social-distancing.

Dias, E. (2020). After Weeks on Zoom, Churches Consider Plans to Reopen. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 11 December 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/07/us/church-reopening-coronavirus.html.

Kaur, H. (2020). How religious communities are modifying traditions to prevent coronavirus spread. CNN. Retrieved 11 December 2020, from https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/06/world/religion-modify-traditions-coronavirus-trnd/index.html.

Kumar, A. S., & Indira, R. (2020). Role of Religion During Covid-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/2153599X.2020.1749339

Thomas, J., & Barbato, M. (2020). Positive Religious Coping and Mental Health among Christians and Muslims in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Religions, 11(10), 498.