The Church's Role in a Pandemic: Reflection, Response, and Revival

Abstract

In this thesis, I argue that the church should commit to its essential role as “the people of God,” “the body of Christ,” and “the temple of the Holy Spirit” to serve the community and world while facing a global pandemic, using COVID-19 as an example. The church should glorify the Lord in this turbulent time through a humble reflection and vigorous response to begin a gradual revival process with the Lord’s blessings. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction to this study. In chapter 2, I summarize COVID-19 and quarantine as God’s purpose to remind the church to reflect on the spiritual implication and perform its ministries to serve the world to fulfill God’s will and be blessed with its revival. In chapter 3, I present the reflection on the church’s role in COVID-19. In addition to praying and meditation for God’s peace, hope, and love, I focused on proclaiming the gospel and performing public care to help the world to comply with God’s will. The church must “pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on you,” attributed to St. Ignatius’ spirit (James 2 2:14—26). In chapter 4, I argue that the church must establish a closer relationship with God by responding to COVID-19 as God’s alert for the church to bridge people to God. In chapter 5, I summarize that the triune God helps people to know him by experiencing his presence during the COVID-19 challenges; Christ’s church relationship with God is enhanced to glorify him. It is God’s grace for the church’s role in COVID-19 to reflect and respond to serve the community. Chapter 6 concludes this study.