Beyond Walls: Redefining Church Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, through Autoethnographic Reflections
Zama Mabel Mthombeni 
Issue: Vol.9 No.12 December 2023 Issue Article 2 pp. 573-581
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20239122 | Published online 18th December, 2023.
© 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a paradigm shift in religious practices, necessitating the reimagining of traditional congregational gatherings. This study delved into this transformation by employing autoethnography as a methodological lens to explore the re-definition of the church within the context of the pandemic. Focusing on personal experiences, observations, and reflections, this research navigated the terrain of virtual worship spaces and the accompanying spiritual yearning that emerged during the COVID-19 era. This study shed light on how the researcher grappled with the re-defined concept of “church.” It investigated the theological implications of congregational dispersion and virtual connectedness. The findings of this study revealed that COVID-19 led to the redefinition of “church” and the reframing of faith within the context of unprecedented circumstances. The study’s core revelation revolved around the dynamic adaptability of faith when faced with adversity. This introspective reflection showcased the profound re-evaluation of what constitutes “church,” the renewed understanding of faith’s essence, and the recalibration of its practical application. Church is better experienced even in unprecedented times if it is understood as space rather than place. Therefore, the study recommends that churches constantly interrogate their theological stances of what the Church really means. The revisiting of scripture and understanding the historic practices and understanding of the church has implications for how the 21st-century church operates and applies its theological teachings.
Keywords: Autoethnography, COVID-19 Pandemic, Virtual Worship, Church Redefinition, Religious Practices
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Zama Mabel Mthombeni is the Chief Researcher in Equitable Education & Economies, Human Sciences Research Council, Durban, South Africa. She is also a PHD Candidate Development studies, School of Built Environmental Studies, University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Her core research focus is on higher education policy and governance; African Philosophy, Social Justice and Inclusive Education, and Transformative Education (Recolonization, Africanization). She is building her expertise in African, International and Comparative Higher Education and Scholarship.
Mthombeni, Zama Mabel. “Beyond Walls: Redefining Church Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, through Autoethnographic Reflections,” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies, 9 no.12 (2023): 573-581. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20239122
© 2023 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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