The Dutch reformed pietist community and COVID-19: 'is this a call of God'?

What is it about?

In this study, we examine how key figures and preachers within the Dutch reformed pietistist community 'made sense' of the COVID-19 pandemic. Do they regard it as God's call or punishment? And what does the pandemic say, according to them, about the times we live in? We analyse sermons and news articles from the period March-November 2020 to find this out.

Featured Image

Photo by Matijn Palings on Unsplash

Photo by Matijn Palings on Unsplash

Why is it important?

We show how the COVID-19 pandemic is regarded by leaders and key figures of this Dutch strict religious community. Pandemics in the past were often seen as God's direct intervention. Is God still seen as an active agent in the current day world? We find that the pandemic was seen as God's call, but that the origin of the virus (God? Satan? nature?) was not made explicit. Also, the earthly origin of the virus itself was not often adressed, rather, the actuality of the virus was used as a 'gateway' to tell community members the general story of reformed pietist theology ('we need to surrender to God and repent of our sins').