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Christian Truth in an Age of Coronavirus Pandemic: Guarding the Contours of Catholicity in Zimbabwe

Received: 20 February 2023    Accepted: 25 April 2023    Published: 10 May 2023
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Abstract

This article will argue that the church is the mystic body of Christ that believers must guard from purveyors bend on twisting the truth. There is no doubt that the Catholic social teaching on medical and moral matters has proven to be pertinent and applicable to the ever-changing circumstances of health care and its delivery. In response to today’s challenges, these same moral principles of Catholic teaching provide the rationale and direction for the community of faith. In times of coronavirus characterized by falsehoods, the truth is a virtue the church must strive for: “… If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8: 31-32). The truth is Christ; it is Christological. Christians must understand the clash of worldviews that is changing the face of Zimbabwean society. A worldview is simply the sum total of our beliefs about the world; Christianity is a worldview that directs our daily decisions and actions. Worldviews affect the way we think. A worldview is a well-reasoned framework of beliefs and convictions that gives a true and unified perspective on the meaning of human existence. To paraphrase from the book of First Samuel (16: 7) – to see as God sees and not how the world sees. Beliefs are not simple propositions held inside us which drive our outward behaviour in predictable ways, they are more of acts of commitment than anything else. There is no doubt that the future of Catholicism lies in the hands of the church’s leadership and the believing Christians. Catholics look to their faith leaders for guidance on big decisions as regards COVID-19 issues. Conspiracy theories around COVID-19 deny that the COVID-19 pandemic is a biological virus. Catholics require direction from the Pope down to the episcopal leadership to chart the way forward. A worldview not only impacts how one understands and makes sense of the world but also influences how one expresses oneself in the world. The constellation of personal values, beliefs, assumptions, attitudes, and ideas that make up our worldview have an effect on our understanding of reality. Coronavirus has caused uncertainty among believers and confusion as to how to cope with the complex problems that arise in COVID-19 related issues. This article will aver that the nature of drawing the contours of catholicity regarding the biblical foundations of the health falls in the hands of orthodox Catholic teachings.

Published in International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 11, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijp.20231102.11
Page(s) 11-16
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Truth, Catholicity, Conspiracy Theories, Coronavirus Pandemic, Beliefs, Community of Faith, Worldview, Human Dignity, Common Good, Solidarity and Subsidiarity

References
[1] Bryman, A. (2004). Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[2] Chadwick, H. (1993). The Early Church, New York: Penguin.
[3] Colson, C. and Pearcey, N. (1999). How Now Shall We Live?, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers.
[4] Condit, D. P. (2016). The Linacre Quarterly, 83 (4), 370–374.
[5] Mutsaka F. (2021). Vaccine Campaign at Zimbabwe Churches Praises What’s Done in Secret. Retrieved 26 December 2021, from https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/newsletters.
[6] Zuze, l. (2020). Covid-19 not a Disease for a Particular Race. Retrieved 26 December 2020, from https://www.newsday.co.zw/minister-disgraces-the-nation.
[7] Karmbo, T. (2020). Zimbabwe’s Bishops Say Coronavirus Disruptions Opportunity Rediscovery. Retrieved 24 December 2020, from https://www.ncronline.org/news/zimbabwes-bishops-say-coronavirus-disruptions-opportunity-rediscovery.
[8] Horan, P. (2020). Pastoral Reflections and Exhortations in the Context of COVID-19. Retrieved 21 December 2020, from https://catholicchurchnewszimbabwe.wpcomstaging.com/2020/07/16/pastoral-reflections-and-exhortations-in-the-context-of-covid-19.
[9] Chamboko, H. (2020). Outrage as Emmanuel Makandiwa Goes Blasphematory. Retrieved 28 December 2021, from https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/outrage-as-emmanuel-makandiwa-goes-blasphematory.
[10] Kugwa, A. (2020). “Catholic Hospitals Appreciate Papal Donation,” in Catholic Church News, Harare: ZCBC Publications.
[11] Machen, J. G. Christianity and Culture, Princeton Theological Review 13, No. 3 (July 1913), 7.
[12] Oyedepo, F. A. (2007). Rescued from Destruction, Ota: Dominion Publishing House.
[13] Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace 2006, No. 160.
[14] Potthoff, H. H. (1969). The Christian in Today’s World, Nashville: Graded Press.
[15] Porter, R. (1997). The Greatest Benefit to Mankind - a Medical History of Humanity from Antiquity to the Present, New York: Harper Collins.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Robert Matikiti, Isaac Pandasvika. (2023). Christian Truth in an Age of Coronavirus Pandemic: Guarding the Contours of Catholicity in Zimbabwe. International Journal of Philosophy, 11(2), 11-16. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231102.11

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    ACS Style

    Robert Matikiti; Isaac Pandasvika. Christian Truth in an Age of Coronavirus Pandemic: Guarding the Contours of Catholicity in Zimbabwe. Int. J. Philos. 2023, 11(2), 11-16. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231102.11

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    AMA Style

    Robert Matikiti, Isaac Pandasvika. Christian Truth in an Age of Coronavirus Pandemic: Guarding the Contours of Catholicity in Zimbabwe. Int J Philos. 2023;11(2):11-16. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20231102.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijp.20231102.11,
      author = {Robert Matikiti and Isaac Pandasvika},
      title = {Christian Truth in an Age of Coronavirus Pandemic: Guarding the Contours of Catholicity in Zimbabwe},
      journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
      volume = {11},
      number = {2},
      pages = {11-16},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20231102.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20231102.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20231102.11},
      abstract = {This article will argue that the church is the mystic body of Christ that believers must guard from purveyors bend on twisting the truth. There is no doubt that the Catholic social teaching on medical and moral matters has proven to be pertinent and applicable to the ever-changing circumstances of health care and its delivery. In response to today’s challenges, these same moral principles of Catholic teaching provide the rationale and direction for the community of faith. In times of coronavirus characterized by falsehoods, the truth is a virtue the church must strive for: “… If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8: 31-32). The truth is Christ; it is Christological. Christians must understand the clash of worldviews that is changing the face of Zimbabwean society. A worldview is simply the sum total of our beliefs about the world; Christianity is a worldview that directs our daily decisions and actions. Worldviews affect the way we think. A worldview is a well-reasoned framework of beliefs and convictions that gives a true and unified perspective on the meaning of human existence. To paraphrase from the book of First Samuel (16: 7) – to see as God sees and not how the world sees. Beliefs are not simple propositions held inside us which drive our outward behaviour in predictable ways, they are more of acts of commitment than anything else. There is no doubt that the future of Catholicism lies in the hands of the church’s leadership and the believing Christians. Catholics look to their faith leaders for guidance on big decisions as regards COVID-19 issues. Conspiracy theories around COVID-19 deny that the COVID-19 pandemic is a biological virus. Catholics require direction from the Pope down to the episcopal leadership to chart the way forward. A worldview not only impacts how one understands and makes sense of the world but also influences how one expresses oneself in the world. The constellation of personal values, beliefs, assumptions, attitudes, and ideas that make up our worldview have an effect on our understanding of reality. Coronavirus has caused uncertainty among believers and confusion as to how to cope with the complex problems that arise in COVID-19 related issues. This article will aver that the nature of drawing the contours of catholicity regarding the biblical foundations of the health falls in the hands of orthodox Catholic teachings.},
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Author Information
  • Faculty of Theology, Christ Ministries Bible College, Harare, Zimbabwe

  • Faculty of Arts, Reformed Church University, Harare, Zimbabwe

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