The spiritual origin, nature, and meaning of the current pandemic. An interview with Jean-Claude Larchet

Source: Orthodoxie

April 8, 2020

    

Jean-Claude Larchet, you are one of the first to have developed a theological reflection on disease, suffering, medicine. Your book “The Theology of Illness” published in 1991 has been translated into many languages, and in connection with the COVID-19 epidemic, it will soon be published in Japanese translation. You have also published a reflection on suffering: “God does not want human suffering,” which has also appeared in various translations.

First of all, what is your general opinion on the epidemic we are currently experiencing?

I am not surprised: for millennia there have been about two major epidemics per century, and several other smaller epidemics. Their frequency is, however, increasing, and the population concentration in our urban civilization, the traffic favoured by globalization, and the multiplicity and speed of modern means of transport easily turn them into pandemics. The present epidemic was therefore predictable, and was predicted by many epidemiologists who had no doubt that it would come; the only thing they did not know was the precise moment when it would occur and the form it would take. What is surprising, though, is the lack of preparedness of some states, which, instead of providing the medical staff with the hospital structures and equipment needed to deal with the scourge, have allowed hospitals to deteriorate and the production of medicines, masks, and respirators, which are now sorely lacking, to be outsourced (to China, like everything else).

Diseases are omnipresent in the history of mankind, and nobody lives a life completely unscathed by them. Epidemics are simply diseases that are particularly contagious and spread rapidly until they reach a large part of the population. The characteristic of the COVID-19 virus is that it seriously affects the respiratory system of the elderly or people weakened by other pathologies, and has a high degree of contagiousness that rapidly saturates intensive care systems with the large number of people affected simultaneously in a short period of time.

... Read the rest at Orthodoxie.

4/14/2020

Comments
Michael Cook7/22/2020 8:38 pm
Dear Brethren. I highly esteem the work of Jean Claude Larchet. I have read most, if not all of his writing in English. However, with a due respect. Jean Claude and others, especially those in positions of leadership, for whatever reason are either blinded by the facts of a radical anti-christ, anti-god, anti-family/marriage cabal in the world... or they are aware of the machinations that want to destroy nations, families, and the church - BUT they are more content to go along and not rock the boat, or be contrarian... because if they do: they will lose book publishing contacts. Lose fame, popularity. Lose sales, money, profit. Lose position, power and wealth. Lose face in that people may call them crazy and insane, just as they accused our Lord, and his apostles, and every martyr who has been martyred. This "pandemic" is NOT, nor has it ever been, about an epidemic, or a pandemic. This is WAR... it is a PlanDemic an eternal war that is coming to its head right here, and right now in our generation... before our very eyes and yet powerful Orthodox leaders are BLIND for the most part, and are afraid of the government, afraid of politicians, we are being led like lambs to the slaughter and yet not one hint of rebellion from the Church? Why? If you think Bill Gates, George Soros, WHO, Tony Fauci, CDC, Democrats, Republicans are GOOD people you are wrong. Most decidedly wrong. How do I know this? I read. I read, I study, I am not stupid. I am not holy, or a saint, nor wise... but I can read, I have a rationale, free, patriotic brain, and I can see that this hatred of God and His church and this nation, is at the root of this so called pandemic. When will the church rise up, and ask for BLOOD? Our own blood to be spilled instead of cowering at the feet of anti-christ globalists? Where are our Tsar Nicholas, and Tsaritsa Alexandras? The Holy royal Children??? Jean Claude, I love your work, etc.... but the smartest people in the world have got to stop being "cloud - ivory tower smart" and get down to the streets where the real knowledge is. Where our Lord Jesus hung out. This is NOT a conspiracy theory. This take down of Jesus Christ's church is fact... and it is happening right before our very eyes, and most Christian pastors, across the board are lying down and letting it happen. God forgive. God forgive us. Rise up Church and BE Orthodox ... take the punishment of the world ... walk in the bloodied footsteps of our ancestors... and you receive the crown of everlasting life... but for God's sake, stop sucking up to the Government... Government does NOT want to help us.... Ronald Reagan said it best... "If someone comes to your door and says Hi I am from the US Government and I am here to help you.... RUN!! Run away as fast as you can." I believe in the Constitution, Bill of Rights and our Republic... but we have not had that form of government since the 1700s'.... God forgive me a sinner.
Isidora4/21/2020 1:30 pm
"Extremists have developed conspiracy theories" Really? At some point "leaders" in Orthodox opinion are going to have to wake up. https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/are-globalists-using-coronavirus-crisis-as-battering-ram-to-destroy-remake-world-order Start preferring facts to globalist antichrist propaganda, or for else be tossed on the great pile of irrelevant compromisers.
Antithacus4/20/2020 5:19 pm
I agree with Herman. What troubles me most about this "pandemic" is the seeming inability of ostensibly intelligent people to question the narrative that they have been force-fed. The term "conspiracy theory" was coined in order to intimidate, marginalize, and shame anyone who would question the official story about any important event. Ask questions! Use the reason that God gave you! We are called "rational sheep" but are not acting like it. Where are the heirarchs who will dare to stand up and demand an explanation from the civil authorities about why the Church is not "essential?" Where are the heirarchs who will point out the holes and inconsistencies in this foolish COVID narrative? I watched a video of the Holy Fire appearing in Jerusalem, and many of the clergy were masked. Is this not submitting to a lesser authority in the temple of God? My wife and I went for a drive last night and passed a church which had a sign reading, "Love thy neighbor; wear a mask." I am 62 years old, and became Orthodox on Holy Saturday last year; after wandering through Protestantism for 30+ years I was happy that the Lord had brought me into His Church. Now I'm filled with sadness at seeing the same shallowness and lack of critical thought, at least when it comes to this event. If we don't begin to draw lines and tell the world, "You can go no farther," then there will come a time when we won't draw any lines at all. Then will come the day when we aren't ABLE to draw a line. Lord have mercy on us.
Herman4/15/2020 6:33 pm
"Extremists have developed conspiracy theories, seeing behind the decisions of various states the desire of certain influential groups to destroy Christianity." But this has always been the case, especially today. "The fact that it has become impossible to receive communion for some time poses a serious problem for some of the faithful. Here again, some extremists see the successful effect of an anti-Christian conspiracy… I do not share these conspiracy theories, insofar as they involve people or organisations, and especially since, as I have said, epidemics are recurrent and cyclical in the history of humanity..." Does Larchet really not notice what is going on here? Here's a video clip showing Bill Gates, one of our High Priests of Science (together with Anthony "The AZT Killer" Fauci) referring to the need to permanently close churches until YOU and your family have been "widely vaccinated." It is highly possible this "vaccine" will contain aborted fetal cells, genetically-engineered ingredients, and could be coupled together with a small microchip or dye pattern encoding your medical history, not allowing you to "buy or sell" or allowing you freedom of movement unless you have received The Shot. I'm sure this has nothing to do with an anti-Christian conspiracy, though. Perhaps I'm one of the "extremists" so referred to by Larchet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIAVtBEDGLs&feature=emb_title
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