Problematic Pandemic Posts

Are we making the Pandemic more toxic by what we post online? 

As we enter into the second month of the United States’ response to the global Coronavirus Pandemic, I have frequently encountered three dysfunctional kinds of problematic Pandemic posts on social media: Productivity, Positivity, and Protest. The “productivity” response tells us to go above and beyond with creative responses, to make things as normal as possible, and mimic pre-pandemic life virtually. The response to any and every problem is “DO MORE STUFF!” The “positivity” response tells us to look on the bright side of this crisis to find all the hidden blessings, and if we pray hard and believe sincerely, things will turn out just fine. The  response to any and every problem is “BE HAPPY!” The “protest” response looks for someone to blame for how bad things have gotten, and if only “they” did it differently we wouldn’t be in this mess. The response to any and every problem is “COMPLAIN LOUDER!” All of these are a form of denial that pushes away reality so we don’t have to deal with it. 

Race Cars, Pandemics, and Economics

If we want to have a global interconnected society that can survive shocks like pandemics, we are learning that all people everywhere need basic access to nourishment, healthcare, and communications. Without it, every institution, from schools to businesses to entire economies, grinds to a halt. 

The Sacrament of Imagination

An abnormal Sunday approaches
When Church pews normally filled
Lie dormant and desolate
As the faithful search for ways
To fill the void
In their schedule 
And in their hearts

Divine Justice, Quarantine, and Healing

During this time of pandemic, social distancing, and quarantine, my sacred reading today was from the First letter of John (read it all here). One text in particular deals with Divine Justice, and can really reframe how with think of Justice in an age of global contagion:

"If we confess our sins, [Christ] is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all injustice." (1 John 1.9)

Prayer Resources for COVID19

The following is the text of an email I sent out to the faculty, staff, and families of my school community. I post this as a resource to other pastors or chaplains who may want to send a similar email and resources. Feel free to cut-and-paste and adapt as needed.

A Poem for a Pandemic

All across the world right now
People are feeling what you feel

Love one another

With anxiety for the future
And worry for their loved ones

Love one another

With boredom and cabin fever
Which grows deeper as time grows longer

Love one another

With dismay at empty shelves
Empty streets and empty shops

Love one another

With prayers for the wellbeing of their families
And supplications for those who are sick

Love one another

With unexpected childcare and meals to fix
And cries of “Why can’t we go out?!?”

Love one another

With a flinch at every cough
And hesitation when a chill is felt

Love one another

With trepidation at unpaid bills
And terror at missing paychecks

Love one another

With waiting waiting waiting
And worrying worrying worrying

Love one another

With this Litany we address the Lord of Life
Who reminds us again and again

Love one another 

Persons are persons

Persons are persons 
And should be treated like persons
With compassion and kindness
With mercy and grace
With dignity and respect
The same way we would want others
To treat us

This is a very simple concept
But exceedingly hard to internalize
In our heads
In our hearts
And embarrassingly hard to actualize
In our deeds
In our words

Disarming the Canon

Recently a friend asked me: "Who decided that the Bible is as-is? Whose voices were included? Whose voices were omitted? Why these texts?" This is a great question, and gives me an excuse to write briefly about the process of "canonizing" the texts that would make up the Bible. This starts by defining terms. First of all, the Bible. The Bible comes from the Greek word "Biblia" meaning "Library of Texts". We think of the Bible as a single book, but in reality it is a library of at least 66 separate texts (but probably 80 or more!). These texts were written over a thousand years, from as early as 1000 BCE to as late as 100 CE, by dozens of different authors from wildly different walks of life, across different languages, different cultures, and different religious backgrounds. 

So the question being asked is: Why did these books "make it in" to the Bible, while other texts did not? 

Human rights or God’s rights?

We get tied up in knots about whether healthcare is a human right or an earned privilege. We argue about whether food is a human right or an earned privilege. We debate whether education is a human right or an earned privilege. For those of us who believe in God, as revealed in Jesus of Nazareth, there is a way out of this conundrum. 

Sacred Ideas within Secular Idioms

As a school chaplain I am blessed to live and work with people from all faith backgrounds, and those who claim no religious faith at all. With this in mind, I strive to make our spirituality program at my school "authentically Christian and genuinely inclusive". Thus, I try to shape our chapel program so that it has something to say to everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike. From our prayers to our Scripture readings to our mediations to our sermons, it is my hope that every member of our school community can find something that speaks to their life, and challenges them to grow spiritually and ethically. 

As a result, I frequently try to "translate" Christian texts and concepts into language that speaks more directly to "Religious Others". This is NOT as a substitute for Christian texts and prayers, but as an explanation or interpretation of them. In particular, I like to imagine what Jesus' teachings might sound like if he were talking to postmodern secular people who do not adhere to any formal religion, and who may not have space for "God" or transcendence in their worldview.