Religion without community - is that possible? In this interview, Oldenburg religious educator Joachim Willems explains what the current situation means for churches and whether isolation can also open up opportunities.
Professor Willems, churches are also in a special situation due to the coronavirus pandemic...
You could say that. The fact that it is generally forbidden to meet for church services is a deep cut in religious life, especially during Passiontide and Easter. It also has no historical precedent. In earlier epidemics and pandemics, this was unthinkable - partly because people had even less knowledge about the ways in which diseases spread.
Everyone still has the opportunity to pray for themselves - isn't that enough?
No, because all religions have a very strong communal dimension. Some religious sociologists even call it a function of religions that they create and maintain communities. In Judaism, for example, the minyan plays a special role: a gathering of at least ten people who worship together. In Islam, the ritual Friday prayer plays a central role alongside personal prayer, and in Christianity the Sunday service.
Nevertheless, there are believers in many religions, including Christianity, who consciously seek solitude. What role models do they refer to?
There are already role models for such a lifestyle in the Bible. For example, there is mention of John the Baptist, who lives in seclusion in the desert, proclaims the coming of the Messiah and baptises Jesus. After his baptism, Jesus also retreats into the desert for 40 days before gathering disciples around him. It is also important to realise that the first Christians were living in a kind of end-time mood: they were convinced that the kingdom of God would soon come and that the circumstances prevailing at the time would not last much longer. Based on this attitude, some began to consciously distance themselves from the world or withdraw.
What did this withdrawal look like in concrete terms?
There are very different examples of this in the history of Christianity. The so-called pillar saints, who spent a large part of their lives on the capitals of pillars in the 4th and 5th centuries, are well-known from the Eastern Church. Others retreated to remote areas such as deserts or islands. It must be said, however, that despite their seclusion, they continued to see themselves as part of the church. They were often seen as religious "athletes" who performed religious practices not only for themselves, but also on behalf of others. The fact that individual believers occupied such prominent positions met with resistance during the Reformation: the reformers emphasised the equality of all believers, whether priest or peasant. This is why there is virtually no religious life in the Protestant tradition, while in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, individual believers still live in monastic or eremitical seclusion.
Can we learn anything from these people for our current life in isolation?
This is difficult to answer because the starting situations are so different. Those who live in religious seclusion do so of their own accord - not every personality is suited to such a life. We, on the other hand, have to come to terms with isolation, whether we like it or not. The structured, ritualised life in monastic communities could nevertheless be a point of orientation for some: just as there are fixed prayer times there, we could also set up fixed times in our everyday lives when we try to find peace - with prayer and meditation, or by quietly reading a poem and reflecting on it, for example.
How can the churches continue to fulfil their mission despite the ban on religious services?
Many things can be done despite the restrictions: In some congregations, for example, volunteer members sew face masks or children paint pictures for older members of the congregation who live alone. Many congregations also offer virtual church services or online counselling.
Does the current situation also offer opportunities for churches - for example through digitalisation?
It may be that some people are now making greater use of the digital services offered by churches. Others may be shying away from this and limiting contact with their congregation during this time. Time will tell whether the current situation will lead to a long-term digitalisation trend in the churches or whether this will remain a temporary phenomenon.
Interview: Iria Sorge-Röder
