The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way most people live, including the way many worship.
COVID-19: USA
The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States since the onset of the pandemic now exceeds 10.8 million. And, sadly, nearly a quarter of a million of these individuals (245,000 as of November 15, 2020) have died.
The spread of COVID-19 is accelerating nationwide. The dramatic growth in new cases is shown below using a screenshot of data provided by the New York Times.
Critical Issues
One month ago, PRRI (Public Religion Research Institute) published an article exploring how differently Trump supporters and Biden supporters view the nation and its future. Research from this article included a survey conducted from September 9-22, 2020 and a supplemental survey conducted from October 9-12, 2020.
Figure 1.3 from this article illustrates the top three critical issues based on the percent of people who selected it as a critical issue sorted by religious affiliation. Notably the coronavirus pandemic ranked as the top issue or second issue for seven of the nine groups. It ranked as the third most critical issue for Hispanic Protestants and did not rank as one of the top three critical issues for White evangelical Protestants.
So What?
Given the recent dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in most states, it seems reasonable to assume that the coronavirus pandemic would rate at least as high and in many cases higher now than it did when the PRRI surveys were conducted.
In recent months I’ve been in touch with dozens of pastors who have led congregations on varied paths to reopening church campuses. Nearly all made a pivot to virtual worship only in March.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area the congregations I know best have divided on the issue of how and when to reopen safely. Most mainline Protestant congregations have opted to continue with virtual worship only or to supplement virtual with outdoor worship while most evangelical congregations have opted to return to some in person worship – indoors, outdoors, or a blend of both – with new safety protocols while continuing to offer a robust virtual experience.
I’d like to hear how your view on in person worship has evolved from March 2020 to present. And, I’d welcome learning what worship looks like in your congregation now and how it is likely to change should new cases of COVID-19 rise dramatically in your area.
The following graphic shows the recent rise in cases where I live.
For more on this topic, check out these recent So What Faith posts:
- Most Have Not Returned to In Person Worship (September, 2020)
- 6 Months (and Counting) Without In Person Worship (September, 2020)
- Should Churches Offer in Person Worship? (August, 2020)