The COVID-19 pandemic presented church leaders with one of the most arduous tests of leadership in over a century. The early days of the pandemic were marked by a historical level of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. The stakes were literally life and death.
Churches lost not just members to the virus, but also pastoral staff. At the same time, the pandemic took away the fundamental practices that define the body of Christ, such as worship, communion, and baptism, as well as the building blocks which form and sustain communities within larger congregations, such as youth and small groups. The pandemic created a monumental challenge for American churches and pastors that, in many cases, precipitated a leadership crisis.
While many leaders showed tremendous courage and compassion amidst the initial uncertainty, they tired over time, especially as loneliness and weariness set in. Where leadership weakness was present, the pandemic exposed it, sometimes with devastating consequences.
Based on Chapter 8 of the report, in this episode host Aaron Hill (editor of ChurchSalary) sits down with two researchers from the Arbor Research Group, Brent Sickel and Terry Linhart, to talk about the numerous leadership crises that occurred during the pandemic and why. This episode also features interviews with several pastors and lay leaders who were directly affected by or lived through a leadership crisis.
Hosted by Aaron Hill, editor of ChurchSalary
“COVID and the Church” is produced in conjunction with the Arbor Research Group and funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. through a grant from the Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders (ECFPL) initiative.
Executive produced by Aaron Hill, Terry Linhart, and Matt Stevens
Director for CT Media is Matt Stevens
Audio Engineering, Editor, and Composer is Tyler Bradford Wright
Artwork by Ryan Johnson
Conservatives aren’t happy about President Obama’s reversal on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, Politico’s Carrie Budoff Brown writes.
And Dan Gilgoff reports on the faith-based VIPs at President Obama’s stem-cell research signing yesterday.
– Maureen Shea, Episcopal Church USA, Director of Government Relations
– James Winkler, United Methodist Church, Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society
– Rabbi Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs
– Rev. Welton Gaddy, Interfaith Alliance
– Nancy Ratzan, National Council of Jewish Women
– Nathan Diament, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
– Rabbi David Saperstein, Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism
The Associated Press’ Eric Gorski breaks down some of the religious debates surrounding the issue. And Chris Good writes that Rick Warren won’t be making a statement on Obama’s decision, but last time I checked, Warren doesn’t really make many public statements.
In an analysis piece for The New York Times Nicholas Wade writes that while President Obama’s reversal of the stem-cell policy will make accounting easier for researchers, research on embryonic stem cells, “though still important, has been somewhat eclipsed by new advances.”
[T]he president’s support of embryonic stem cell research comes at a time when many advances have been made with other sorts of stem cells. The Japanese biologist Shinya Yamanaka found in 2007 that adult cells could be reprogrammed to an embryonic state with surprising ease. This technology “may eventually eclipse the embryonic stem cell lines for therapeutic as well as diagnostics applications,” Dr. Kriegstein said. For researchers, reprogramming an adult cell can be much more convenient, and there have never been any restrictions on working with adult stem cells.
He writes that politicians have often created the hype that embryonic stem cell research would lead to quick cures.
Scientists have not publicly objected to such high-flown hopes, which have helped fuel new sources of grant money like the $3 billion initiative in California for stem cell research.
In private, however, many researchers have projected much more modest goals for embryonic stem cells.
And in case you’re looking for more casual reading, Christianity Today has a special section on embryonic stem-cell research.
