In an article published on August 13, 2021 in The Christian Century, Philip Jenkins discusses the responses of Latin American churches to the Covid-19 pandemic, and suggests that historians will, in the future, praise some of them and blame others.

Latin America has suffered greatly from the pandemic.  Jenkins reports that the death toll in the five largest countries in the area, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina, reached a million this summer, a number close to a quarter of the world casualties, and probably an underestimate of the real situation.  As one might expect, vaccination rates are very low.  In fact, as noted by the editors of The Christian Century on August 13, the Kaiser Foundation reported last month that on average “only 1% of those in low-income countries have received at least one vaccine dose compared to 51% in high-income countries.”  The low vaccination rates in low-income countries leave them dangerously exposed to the threat of new Covid-19 variants.

Jenkins praises the efforts by Catholic and Protestant churches to help the needy by providing “essential assistance that the state cannot, supplying food, fuel, and shelter.”  In Brazil for example, church leaders have recognized the presence of a “hunger pandemic” and have focused on defeating it.  The Catholic Church has also “formed a vast and effective network of pastoral agents, to visit and assist the elderly and isolated.”

Like they have elsewhere, governments have tried to prevent the spread of infection by imposing lockdowns and restricting public gatherings.  Some Latin American churches have reacted negatively to such measures.  In Mexico, many churches continued to operate clandestinely, using social media to promote in-person events.  In Brazil, according to Jenkins, some churches “not only obeyed the laws but proved creative in organizing virtual services.”  But other congregations did not follow their example, as “some powerful evangelical and Pentecostal churches denounced the restraints as an unacceptable curtailing of their religious liberty, even as outright persecution. Such churches have orga­nized public protests against the court decisions that supported lockdowns.”

In Brazil, the non-cooperating churches found an ally in Jair Bolsonaro, the authoritarian and populist president, a Catho­lic who apparently “maintains a close alliance with the most conservative evangelical churches.”  Bolsonaro is known as a Covid denier who sees Covid as no worse than the flu.  He has stated his opposition to lockdowns and has spread misinformation about vaccines and the wearing of masks.  His videos were removed last year from Facebook and Twitter, and last month from Youtube.  The following statement was provided by Youtube as the reason for the removal:

“Our rules do not allow content that states that hydroxychloroquine and/or ivermectin are effective in treating or preventing COVID-19, that states there is a cure for the disease, or says that masks do not work to prevent the spread of the virus.”

Jenkins explains that during the spring, there were fears that Bolsonaro “might side with the dissident churches to the extent of defying the constitution and overruling both congress and the courts.”

Another type of response from Latin American churches, according to Jenkins, is to describe the pandemic “in spiritual and providential terms, as a heavenly judgment.”  He explains:

“From this perspective, true believers might be able to escape the disease by means of prayer and spiritual warfare. We continue to find preachers urging the use of the traditional ‘plague psalm’ (Ps. 91) and noting the coincidence that its number reverses COVID-19: 91, we are told, will defeat 19. Conservative pastors have urged believers to rely wholly on spiritual solutions, so that they do not need to obey the constraints that governments place on religious gatherings.”

Jenkins refrains from being judgmental on the above approach, and thinks it is an expected outcome given the lack of available solutions:

“Such appeals to faith-based cures and spiritual protection should be seen as a desperate response to the lack of access to effective advanced medicine. It has left poorer believers in desperate search for anything that might conceivably offer hope for themselves and their loved ones. Where else can they turn?”

However, it may be useful to take a look at Psalm 91 and see if it is being used appropriately by these churches.

I suspect that Jenkins, when he says “91, we are told, will defeat 19,” is not convinced at all.  In my previous post, I suggested that focusing on finding hidden codes in the Bible is probably not a worthwhile effort.  Here, those who see a prophecy on the future of Covid-19 in the two numbers 91 and 19 remind me of those who decided that Isaiah 45 is about the 45^th president of the United States.

But Psalm 91 is a serious expression of faith in the divine providence, which may bring comfort to many Christians.  The question is: is it an answer that precludes consideration of all other possible answers to a tough situation?  Does faith in God prevent us from adopting common-sense measures such as wearing a mask or taking social distancing precautions?  Does adopting virtual church services amount to not trusting God for protection?

We have seen stories of pastors who initially rejected such precautions, insisted on in-person church gatherings and ended up being infected with Covid.  Some died.  Some changed their minds.

Psalm 91 is reproduced at the end of this post for convenience.  But it may be interesting to look at verses 11 and 12 because, according to the Gospels, the devil used them to tempt Jesus.

“For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

In Matthew 4:5-7, it is said that the devil has Jesus stand on the highest point of the temple, and says to him: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.”  He then quotes Psalm 91:11-12 as evidence that Jesus should not be afraid of taking such an action.  Jesus says to him: “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Jesus is referring to Deuteronomy 6:16, where Moses tells the Israelites: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.”  Moses was referring to an incident in the wilderness during which the Israelites failed to trust the Lord as their provider when they did not have drinking water.  They tested God’s patience even though God provided for their needs by instructing Moses to extract water from a rock.

Here, Jesus is saying that he is not going to take an unnecessary risk, putting God on the spot, just to prove the point that he is under God’s protection.  Doesn’t this directly apply to the situation with Covid-19?  Why should Christians put God to the test when there are common-sense measures they can take to reduce risk?  Is God opposed to common sense?

Psalm 91

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”