A critical examination of how some questionable perspectives are revealed within Chinese Christian reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

It is observable for the past months that the reactions and responses of Christians and churches, especially in Taiwan, to the COVID-19 pandemic might be questionable from a Christian biblical perspective. The most obvious example appears in the cases that some Chinese Christians and churches pray to God “to regain His sovereignty and victory over Satan or evil spirits” in order to lessen the severity and spreading of COVID-19. Such a prayer might imply subtly a perspective that God fails to be sovereign all the times in a spiritual warfare. However, from a biblical and informed Christian theological perspective, the supreme all-mighty sovereign God far surpasses and surmounts the power of any creature, including Satan, all the time (Job 1:11–12a; 2:3). The second example is that the prayers of some Chinese Christians reveal their faith in God’s favouritism to His believers in everything. However, based on a reformed Christian theological perspective, God only promises to grant exclusively to all those who believe in Christ’s salvation-related “special grace”, but not “common grace” (Matthew 5:45). The third observable phenomenon is that quite a few Chinese Christians show their “this-worldly”-centred perspective in facing the COVID-19 pandemic. This perspective made them more fearful, anxious, worried and even hopeless as the pandemic becomes more severe and extensive. But a Christian biblical perspective should be an eternity-centred other-worldly view of reality (Matthew 6:19–21) that will bring peace, joy and hope, no matter how severely any situation would pose threats and harm to the world, countries and individuals. This article will examine, analyse and discuss these three questionable perspectives revealed within different Christian reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on those found among Chinese Christians. It is argued that they are all logically interrelated and reflect particular aspects of the cultures in which they are engaged.