What are we learning about the Anglican Communion under the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic? This crisis has highlighted many unknowns, but some things do become clearer. Reactions to the unexpected are revealing.
Africa is likely to be the region that ends up suffering most. Although the death toll, at the time of writing, is much lower than that in the West, the impact on the region’s economy and food security will put growing millions at risk even if the disease itself is contained, and in East Africa the problem is being compounded by devastating and recurrent locust plagues.
In such circumstances it would be understandable if African Anglican leaders were majoring on the need for emergency aid and debt relief. While both are undeniably important, calling people back to a God-centred hope in the gospel has been of first importance. This is the context of all the subsequent advice being given on preventing contagion.
