The Fear of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relation to Religion

Abstract

It is known that the COVID-19 pandemic can be a cause of fear and anxiety. There exists a deep need to seek refuge from anxiety in a reality that would offer a sense of greater certainty. Within this framework, religion can be assessed in three different ways. Its negative assessment is linked with a pragmatic approach to the world. Alongside the negative assessment of religion, there is also a positive one. However, there is still a third possible approach, that of using religion as a response to the difficulties of the pandemic. Religion can function as a factor in rationalizing the time of the pandemic. Religion can also generate two strategies by which a person can respond to difficult situations. These strategies can be referred to as a kenotic one and a palliative one.