Sanitation, vaccination, and sanctification : a South-African theological engagement with COVID-19

Abstract

In critical self-reflection from an African context on the pandemic, COVID-19 is first semantically re-baptized as Christianity-On-Verges: Inciting Discussion, with a subsequent discussion in broad outlines of the thematic foci of the most recent South African publications on the pandemic. Next, the identified thematic foci are then related to an important Northern discourse on theologies of disaster as explored by the Danish theologian Niels Henrik Gregersen. From the discussion in its insightful emphasis on disruptive communities and religious paradigm of resilience, the argumentative focus moves to a tentative formulation and prioritization of theological directives for academic scholarly engagement with the pandemic. Finally, theological directives are carefully and tentatively explored with sanctification as the chosen framework to integrate the identified challenges for disruptive communities and for the scholarly engagement with COVID-19.