How do We Think About God in the Midst of This Global Pandemic?

This thoughtful piece was written by my friend and colleague.

The Rev. Dr. Karen Bloomquist, Oakland, CA, theologian-at-large and pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Americal

In the midst of this global pandemic, how might we think about God or the divine? Not as causing this or saving or rescuing us from this unknown “enemy,” but as empowering compassion, creativity, and innovative human action in the midst of this crisis. Not that we succumb to fear and hopelessness but that we act in the face of such. This is quite different from superficial optimism or turning away from what is occurring, but in ways that are informed by and directed by data, science and good practices. 

God is community, active in and through human communities, as they together stand with those who are suffering, fearful and anxious. This now is done virtually, coming together ironically by staying apart physically. As a theologian-at-large, I am aware that many do not image or think of God in this way, but the essence of the divine is in how this empowers or inspires compassionate reaching out to connect with others, with love and justice. God is creativity itself and inspires human creativity, even for those who are skeptical about “God.”

How might this be sustained after the crisis of this pandemic passes? “Wellness” is more than what individuals do for themselves; it is societal, even global. Embodiment and human touch are crucial. Priority must be on those who are most vulnerable. A new sense of the public good might emerge.