Does God Love the Coronavirus? Friendship, Theology, and Hope in a Post-COVID World
Ebook
Overview
This book is a correspondence between two theologians and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. In it the authors reflect on the nature of God, the efficacy of prayer, the value of experience, the nature of theology itself, the importance of Christian hope, and many other topics. The style is familiar and light, rich, and full of wisdom.
“Does God love the coronavirus? How could anyone respond yes?
Bevans and Sedmak explore profound theological issues such as
justice and eschatology as they struggle with the yes which they
both believe they must endorse. Unlike books that delineate
conclusions drawn from theological reflection, this book invites
readers into the authors’ actual grappling with perceptions of God
that are challenged by this cataclysmic pandemic. Through the
exchange of letters, readers witness the growth of theology.”
—Dianne Bergant, CSA, Carroll Stuhlmueller Distinguished Professor
emerita of Old Testament Studies, Catholic Theological Union,
Chicago
“This is a wonderful conversation deeply rooted both in
spirituality and in deep friendship. Bevans and Sedmak are not
afraid to wrestle with many of the difficult issues that have been
highlighted during the pandemic. The conversation is scholarly,
accessible, and enriching, and offers us theology done
imaginatively, finds beauty in imperfection, and urges us to
practice a theology of relationship and vulnerability. It is a book
which not only challenges our discipleship but also replenishes our
spirituality.”
—Cathy Ross, Head of Pioneer Mission Leadership Training, Church
Mission Society, Oxford
“If God loves all creation, and viruses are part of the created
world, does God love the coronavirus? Informed by the Christian
theological tradition and drawing from personal experiences and
reflections, Bevans and Sedmak invite us to join their intimate
exploration of this question and all that it implies. The end goal
is to find firm grounding for hope in a world of grace that must
also confront the reality of tragedy and suffering. This is an
exceptionally timely book.”
—Daniel P. Horan, OFM, Director of the Center for Spirituality,
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana
Stephen Bevans, SVD, is Professor of Mission and Culture,
Emeritus, at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. Among his books
are Models of Contextual Theology (2002) and An
Introduction to Theology in Global Perspective (2009).
Clemens Sedmak is Professor of Social Ethics at the Keough School
of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author
of many books, including Doing Local Theology (2002), A
Church of the Poor (2016), and The Capacity to be
Displaced (2017).