Missio hominum as the compassionate response to socio-economic and vaccine challenges during COVID-19 in South Africa

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Date
2021
Authors
Thinane, Jonas S.
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AOSIS
Abstract
It is likely that the storm of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Africa will calm only when the country attains herd immunity. In South Africa, the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out plan will first prioritise key frontline forces, the elderly and those with comorbidities. Although there is some new academic insight on COVID-19 within the context of churches, not much has been written on the role that churches can play in partnership with government towards procuring vaccines for the poor people of South Africa. The contribution towards vaccine procurement by churches is juxtaposed with the proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favour in Luke 4:18–19 and the feeding of 5000 men (excluding women and children) in Matthew 14:13–21, Mark 6:30–44, John 6:1–14 and Luke 9:10–17. This is done against an environment where corruption in the procurement of personal protective equipment, unjust food parcel distribution and subverted relief packages occurred during the hard lockdown of 2020. This article makes use of both missio Dei and missio hominum as its missiological theory in conformity with calls for public health restoration during and after COVID-19. It employs a literature review to support missio Dei and missio hominum as compassion and fundraising for the poor in the face of COVID-19, as exemplified by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:1–4 and Jesus in Mark 6:8 and Luke 8:1–3.
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Keywords
COVID-19, Missio hominum, Vaccine, Fundraising, Personal protective equipment
Citation
Thinane, J.S. (2021). Missio hominum as the compassionate response to socio-economic and vaccine challenges during COVID-19 in South Africa. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 77(3), a6544. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v77i3.6544