Where is God in a coronavirus world? Answers from an Oxford math professor, John Lennox (Part 1)
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is arguably the biggest pandemic of our lifetime. At time of publishing, close to 12.6 million people have been infected with the virus with more than 560,000 deaths. In the news, we see commentaries like these:
How do we make sense of what is going on? With a large portion of the world in lockdown, we’ve had more time to think. This raises questions on the vulnerability of humans and mortality. Things that could have been ducked for a long time and leads to the bigger question of God, creation, and eternity.
This article is based on a talk between Dr John Lennox with RZIM President Michael Ramsden entitled “Where is God in a coronavirus world”. Cracked Shell distills the key points in this fascinating discussion.
Who is John Lennox?
Dr John Lennox, is a professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, and the author of several books that interface science, philosophy and religion. He’s famously debated with atheist and author of The God Delusion- Richard Dawkins, the late anti-theist Christopher Hitchens. We’ve linked some of these great debates:
Catch the full interview here:
1: Isn’t atheism the easiest and most straight forward response to the COVID-19 situation we find ourselves in?
The atheist standpoint is that this world is a random accident and we should expect issues to crop up (Coronavirus included). “Its just what you expect the world to be like”, “There’s no good, no evil, no justice”, “DNA just is and we dance to its music”, are arguments by proponents of this worldview like Richard Dawkins.
This seems to solve an intellectual problem. It’s just how it is and we have to live with it. But it fails to address a critical issue in this equation- suffering. In fact, it intensifies it. If the atheist view is true, then there is no purpose in complaining. But because he is a christian, Lennox probes further and finds he has a problem with the atheism stand on this, for it removes any possible hope, which Christianity on the other hand has a great deal to say that about.
2. The Karma principle. Are we reaping what we’ve sown?
This is a very cruel doctrine. To say that people were killed from earthquakes or coronavirus because they behaved badly in a previous lifetime and by helping them we are reducing their amount of suffering, is one rejected strongly by Jesus himself.
The gospel of John records a story of a man who was blind from birth. His disciples ask if this disability was due to his sins or that of his parents. To which Jesus says:
John 9:3 NKJV
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
*A Cracked Shell thought: The fascinating line here is that Jesus is more interested in the works of God that would come through the blind man (including his healing), than the theological debate of where it came from. The bible doesn’t say whether this blind man was a ‘believer’. Could it well be that amidst COVID-19, what Jesus is interested in with those hit by the virus, is the restoration and hope found in Him?
Jesus went on to restore the sight of that blind man.
3. Is the coronavirus God’s judgement?
There is another similar parable to that of the blind man. This time Jesus addresses the eighteen men who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, and if those men were worse sinners than all other men in Jerusalem. Jesus was firm in his answer, its was a no. The tragedy was not tied to their behaviour.
A Cracked Shell thought: Jesus felt this was important enough point to be answered by recounting 2 separate incidents. The 1st was concerning fellow Jews, Galilleans who were killed by Pilate while doing a holy act of worshipping through the sacrifices. The 2nd was the tower of Siloam, beside the pool of Siloam and pool Bethesda, where the disabled lay (John 5:3). It was most probable those killed were those blind, lame, or paralysed. People who were already in need. In both cases, humanly speaking, we’d argue that none of them deserved this. The question is WHY?
Luke 13:4–5 NKJV
Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? [5] I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
There needs to be caution when ascribing pandemics to God’s judgement, as people would often look beyond the message and react first to the messenger who is making the allegation. It assumes an arrogant moral high position. Their focus is not on God, but on the person making the allegation. They don’t consider what God might be saying through this, bypassing the very message, which cannot be the biblical way.
Instead, the biblical way could be that COVID19 is a megaphone shouting at us and reminding us on the vulnerability of our mortality, and raising the God question. That one of us may die and if there is a God, we’re going to have to meet Him. As to whether COVID-19 is God’s judgement, we don’t need to make a judgement we don’t know.
This is part 1 of 4 in our series “Where is God in a Coronavirus world?”. Continue with Part 2 here.
For deeper insight, Dr John Lennox’s book is available here.
For more video discussions, you can follow RZIM Live here.
For questions and opinions, or other content you would like us to cover, do reach us at crackedshell[at]tutanota.com
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