Shepherding the Saints in the Face of Disease and Death: Pastoral Ministry During the Great Plague of London (1665-66)

Abstract

This thesis is an examination of pastoral ministry in seventeenth century London during the Great Plague of 1665-66. Chapter 1 introduces the difficulty of pastoral ministry during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for guidance from church history. Chapter 2 surveys pastoral instruction in the theology of providence, disease, and medicine in English plague literature from 1665-66. Chapter 3 overviews the plague’s impact on church leadership, the loss of Anglican credibility, the courage of Nonconformist clergy, and the pastoral convictions of those who remained in London. Chapter 4 is a composite picture of pastoral ministry in London and its challenges during the plague year. Chapter 5 concludes with pastoral considerations for shepherding congregations during present and future public health crises.