"From Pandemic to Renewal" (Chris Rice)

TITLE: From Pandemic to Renewal
AUTHOR: Chris Rice
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (240 pages).
 

Without a doubt, the pandemic has changed the world in more ways than we know. For the first time worldwide, people see lockdowns and travel quarantines. Many go for mandatory vaccinations. Masks are required in public places. Corporations tell people to work from home. Even churches have to go virtual. As the world reels from two years of pandemic lifestyles, many no longer recognize the normal they once knew. Many businesses like restaurants and retail have suffered to the point of totally shutting down. Churches too have seen their numbers plummet to the point where formerly regular members no longer attend physical church. On the flip side, there have been some positive post-pandemic developments as well. Some experience the freedom of working from home without compromising their work productivity. They testify of better work-life balance. They also benefitted from turning "transit time" into profitable work time. Author Chris Rice looks at the whole situation to bring us three critical insights. First, we gain a deeper insight into our inner struggles. The pandemic has become a form of X-Ray to expose the things we do not usually see. Stress and emotional challenges take on a new dimension. Bipartisan politics worsen by the increased use of social media. Digital platforms take on a new level of significance. People brace themselves to enter a new world never seen before. Secondly, we are connected far beyond our shores. We see a deeper interconnected future about how events far away can impact us up close and personal. Like the way covid spreads from Asia to America, and to the rest of the world, it is no longer possible to quarantine any potential problems. No longer can we simply mind our own business or think we do not need the rest of the world. We are more connected and dependent than we think. Thirdly, the pandemic has opportunities for us to build upon. This is where the majority of the book will be centering upon. Rather than be shaken up negatively by the pandemic, why not re-adjust our sails positively? With this paradigm shift, the author sets out to do just that. This book covers the eight pathways from pandemic to renewal across various realms, covering economic, moral, social, political, religious, and several other aspects. 

Chapter One deals with frantic anxiety which is becoming more intense in a digital world. Activism, workaholic lifestyles, and an always-on Internet addiction have impacted our relationships with others as well as our mental health. Burnout which was a problem pre-pandemic worsened during and after the pandemic. Rice diagnoses the problem not because of despair but because of our inability to say no to more. He terms it "excessive positivity" which is that can-do attitude that refuses to back down from the temptation to achieve more by doing more with more. He suggests replacing the idolatry of "more" with joy as a determinant kind of antidote. Spend time doing things that spark joy.

Chapter Two begins with a lament about the growing disparity in this world. Covid-19 has widened this disparity. Taking lessons from the parable of the Good Samaritan, Rice gives us five challenges to be transformed from bystanders to peacemakers. Lest we pass like the other side. Chapter Three highlights the problem of nationalistic fervour that is more polarizing than unifying. One of the most touching stories is about Christian leaders from China, Japan, and Korea visiting a war museum. After seeing gruesome images of the war atrocities, they hugged one another, putting aside nationalistic grievances, and pledged to never let such evil happen again. Chapter Four looks at the state of American politics to point out the need for Christians not to be disengaged from politics in the name of separation, but to engage constructively through prayer and "prophetic advocacy." Chapter Five is an attempt to take the log out of American eyes so that one can see clearly the power disparity and the needs of the world. In doing so, we can see opportunities for believers in the developed world to find ways to heal the world. Chapter Six becomes more personal and warns us about friendship with the world that is actual enmity with God. Such friendship includes our infatuation with worldly success and public recognition, when in fact, these things lead us deeper into idolatry. Using recent examples of key Christian leaders who had fallen, we learn about the seduction of power. Learning to be comfortable with our own vulnerability is key to preserving private integrity. Chapter Seven looks at the three dangers in our modern world: Technological disruptions; Environment Decay; and the false dichotomy of a world divided into US-versus-China. We need to rise above these challenges of seeking wisdom; showing care; and engaging in peacemaking opportunities respectively. Chapter Eight looks at the role of the Church. Rice gives us six essentials in reforming the Church for modern times.

My Thoughts

There is a lot of good stuff in this book. Beginning from the challenges caused by the pandemic to the modern challenges that plague society at large, author Chris Rice maintains a consistent assertion: That we learn to be peacemakers wherever we are and whenever we can. One notices that the issues pertaining to the pandemic are dealt with in the first half of the book. The second half comprises existential issues like the political divide in America, xenophobic tendencies in the name of nationalism, racial and economic discrimination, and other modern challenges that we face now. For every issue, Rice guides us toward recognizing them before suggesting ways to deal with them. More importantly, he points out the crucial roles that the Church and the believer can do. The discussion questions at the end of the book help readers to engage with the issues more deeply.  Several of these questions relate directly to particular quotes that demand critical engagement. Some of the more challenging ones relate to the call to political engagement. This is not an easy one, especially considering the need to keep Church and State separate. Yet, politics affect us all. We need to learn how to engage constructively, especially when there's widespread polarization that is dividing communities across the nation. Christians need to be peacemakers to build as many bridges as possible in a world of constant tensions that could easily spark hatred and violence. Rice gives us tips on ways to do just that. 

I like the way the author not only highlights the problems of today, but also points us to be part of the solution. The author builds a strong case for his three crucial insights and applies them across the moral, political, socio-economic, technological, and theological domains. I find myself nodding in agreement as I turn the pages of the book. With many ideas and suggestions on how to move forward, I find Rice's approach very balanced and practical. For each challenge, he puts forth multiple ways to deal with it. Not all the ways are relevant at any one time but it is hoped that readers can keep them in the arsenal of solutions, and discern wisely when and where to use them. Whether we call it a reminder, renewal, or a refreshing of our calling, this book can give us the kick we need to get off our comfort zones.

Chris Rice (DMin, Duke University) is director of the United Nations Office of the Mennonite Central Committee, an international relief, development, and peace agency. He served as cofounding director of the Duke Divinity School Center for Reconciliation, and has worked through the academy, churches, and faith-based organizations to heal social conflicts in East Africa, Northeast Asia, and the American South. He is coauthor of Reconciling All Things and More Than Equals, which both won Christianity Today Book Awards. Chris and his wife, Donna, have three adult children and live in New York City.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.