CREEDE HINSHAW: Followers of all faiths share common struggle during isolation

I had the opportunity earlier this week to listen to a Zoom conversation between Roman Catholic First Things editor R. R. Reno, Orthodox Rabbi Mark Gottlieb of the Tikvah Fund and Protestant theology professor Carl R. Trueman of Grove City College. Their topic was the impact of the COVID health emergency on the lives of Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant faithful.

When I dialed in, 100 people were already listening and I couldn’t join the group, but I tried later and was happy to hear the last 15 minutes of reflection of these three good thinkers.

Even those few minutes were stimulating. One of them mentioned that his devotional life had improved in these last few weeks. He has found himself singing the Psalms more frequently. He made me wonder if other readers of this column have found that their own prayer life and devotional reading has been enhanced. I also wonder if people who have found themselves estranged from a worshiping community have tried – in these past weeks – to find one online, and if so if that newfound interest will be long-lasting.

All three men agreed that the loss of community has been anguishing. So much of faith is involved with community, whether that be Jewish, Catholic or Protestant. We gather together to laugh, cry, sing, pray and study. We receive sacraments, hear the word expounded and are aware that we share a common faith and struggle.

I appreciated, however, the distinction drawn between the three faiths regarding the communal aspect of our faith. Mr. Reno, the Roman Catholic, suggested that perhaps Catholics had the greatest and deepest need for the communal nature of faith by the Catholic emphasis on celebration of mass. Faith for Catholics, he suggested, is primarily corporate in a way that can’t be made up by home prayer and study. He suggested that, although Protestants also value the communal aspect of faith, Protestants might be also comfortable with the notion that the family can be a little church itself. In that sense, he wondered, if Protestants might be more able to handle the sheltering in place than the Catholics.

The rabbi mentioned that although the synagogue is very important, Jews have always stressed the nature of faith found in and through knowing God in the home and family unit.

It’s easy to forget that every faith group deals with the pandemic’s effects differently. And yet, in this multifaceted country, we share, to some extent, in the common tragedy of COVID.

One last note: State Representative Nino Vitale of Ohio has posted on his Facebook page that he refuses to wear a facemask. His reasoning is more than bizarre, proving that you can use the Bible to justify anything. He writes, “This is the greatest nation on earth, founded on Judeo-Christian principles. One of those principles is that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. That image is seen the most by our face. I will not wear a mask.” Glad he’s not my representative.