Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Coronavirus Exposes the Cost of Individualistic Christianity

Coronavirus Exposes the Cost of Individualistic Christianity

Last updated on: April 9, 2020 at 2:09 am by Brad Vaughn

Coronavirus Exposes the Cost of Individualistic Christianity 2020-04-09T02:09:54-07:00 Brad Vaughn

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Public Domain

Western Christianity is individualistic. People know that. What they don’t always see is the cost of individualistic Christianity.

Many presume that the alternative of individualistic Christianity is oppressive, mindless “organized religion.” No. Belonging to family and living like it… that’s not individualistic Christianity. That’s simply being the church.

Still, due to the fear of “group-think” or perhaps becoming “too Catholic,” Protestants defend individualism as a tenet of faith. This mentality is well rooted in the Reformation. People defend individualism, contra collectivism, based on a few key ideas, such as:

Each person is created in God’s image.
God loves every individual.
Each person must make a personal decision to follower.

In short, individuals have dignity or worth, regardless of the views of their community. Fair enough. But this does not tell the whole story. The coronavirus has exposed both the contradiction and the cost of popular, individualistic Christianity.

“Covered in Jesus’ Blood”

Have you seen the clip of the Ohio women leaving her church despite the pandemic? This video illustrates how the theology of individualized Christianity is a pandemic in itself.

What’s the problem with her comments? It’s not that she thinks God is able to protect her. It’s not that she believes Christ’s blood covers her. It’s that she does not understand the implications of what she claims.

First, let’s get the obvious point out there. Jesus’ blood does not guarantee that his followers won’t die. Church history and the Bible itself argue against that. Remember Stephen and those Saul killed? Jesus was literally covered in his own blood… and he died.

(Already, news reports tell of pastors dying from COVID19, including a Virginia pastor who called the pandemic “mass hysteria.”)

How about “Love Your Neighbor”?

Second, this woman’s reasoning leads her to endanger other people. For the sake of argument, let’s grant her the point and assume that she won’t get the virus. According to her thinking, non-believers are not covered in Jesus’ blood. Therefore, they lack immunity from the coronavirus.

She chooses to overlook the danger she poses to the people around her. She might be asymptomatic yet pass it along to others, leading potentially to their death. When the report presses her on this point, she completely ignores him and drives off in frustration.

I’ve heard people cite Hebrews 10:24–25,

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Do you really think the writer of Hebrews had the coronavirus quarantine in mind? Look at the first part of the text: “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Is it not a loving, good work to take actions that protect people? What about the command to “love your neighbor as yourself”?

Does this sort of behavior and proof-texting lead to valuing other individuals? Or just yourself? Let’s be honest. Ironically, individualistic Christianity pushes believers not to love their neighbors.

Selective and Convenient Theology

Individualized Christianity devolves into a superficial brand of religion without roots. It quotes the Bible when its convenient. It prefers to selectively theologize, such as when people think the “other” political party is trying to attack their faith.

(By the way, the quarantine is not a conspiracy by liberals to attack churches. All social groups are being told to stay home.)

Subscribing to theology that is selective and convenient leads to (at least the appearance of) contradiction. The same people who claim Jesus’ blood protects them from the coronavirus belong to the same demographic that buys the most guns. I’m guessing that most of them immunize their children and want medical insurance.

What happens when the pandemic ends? I’m calling it now…. many more people will simply start “attending church” online. When that happens, pastors will suddenly realize how must individualistic thinking really has infected the church.

By then, it’ll be too late for too many people.

For previous posts on the coronavirus, check out…

Previous Post

April 6, 2020

Coronavirus. Quarantine. Good?

Next Post

April 14, 2020 An Overview of Te-Li Lau’s Defending Shame

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atonement Biblical Theology Book Reviews China Chinese Church Chinese Culture Chinese Language Collectivism Contextualization Culture (General) Ecclesiology Evangelism Gospel Honor & Shame (Face) Interpretation/Exegesis Justification/Righteousness Missiology Mission Methods One Gospel for All Nations Other Practical Contextualization Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes Resources Romans Salvation (General) Saving God's Face Seeking God's Face The Cross in Context Theological Contextualization Theological Education Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the main theme of Galatians?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Church discipline Spiritual gifts Love above faith Justification by faith

Books by This Author Books by Brad Vaughn

See All Titles »