PTSD, The Church, and the COVID-19 Experience
– By Dr. Jonathan McReynolds
A concrete reality of the human experience is that no one is immune to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This term and condition have been associated mostly with war veterans within our society. However, within post-modern culture, as we assess the condition of humanity and our vast life, cultural, and historical experiences, we have discovered that PTSD impacts every demographic within society. All demographics within society experience trauma. I could start roughly around the early 1800s and make a scholarly argument that every demographic within our nation has experienced trauma related to negative human experiences and societal shifts. As African-Americans, many assert that we have experienced multi-generational trauma due to the slavery experience.
Every catastrophic event within our national history has been followed by trauma impacting a particular demographic. As stewards of society, we must take responsibility to assess the impact of trauma upon our fellow citizens and those whom we lead and serve. We must have the ability to do this with unbiased eyes and look at others not only through our vision or perspective but also through their experience. While the COVID-19 Virus has impacted every demographic within our society, it would be very irresponsible and insensitive not to consider the impact of the COVID-19 Virus and PTSD upon the African-American Church. Since the Reconstruction Period of history, the Church has been the cornerstone of African-American culture. The recent global pandemic has left the foundations of our culture cracked to the core. Within a matter of 7-14 days, the Church, which has been the example of normalcy and tradition within our culture, had to make a dramatic shift. This shift has created a new normal that was not invited or desired by many.
While many congregations had already embraced technology with online worship, giving, and interaction,many resisted the very existence of such enterprises within the ranks of the traditional Church. Similarly psychologically as family members were separated upon the auction blocks of slavery; many felt a similar impact of being separated from their houses of worship. As someone with earned and legitimate doctoral-level studies in theology, if fully understood, the Church is within us, and the Church is not a building. However, the existential reality for the African-American community is the physical Church has become a source of emotional, spiritual, and cultural stability during our unstable social history. Many have found solace and strength in just being able to come and occupy the pews and walls of the physical Church. Thus we can’t discount the emotional thirst of believers to want to fill their place of solace during the global pandemic. Please be clear and in context. I am not advocating for churches to be open during a health crisis nor to close. I am merely acknowledging a societal and psychological truth that exists within the paradigms of our people. This experience with social distancing, quarantines, and personal isolation has caused post traumatic stress disorder within many people.
There are many layers to the current PTSD in our society relating to the COVID-19 Virus. Many have suffered the loss of family, friends, and co-workers. Health Care workers who have fought to save lives only to watch them die or to see co-workers die are suffering PTSD. The restaurant workers whose jobs were eliminated by the order Governors without notice are experiencing PTSD. The class of 2020 that had visions of their high school or college graduation is suffering PTSD. The worst thing that we can do in our humanity is to exercise the inhumanity of minimizing the trauma of any demographic during this global pandemic. No one is without some level of suffering during this human experience. No one can define the experience of others and assess their narrative through this experience. Thus we must view everyone in humanity as a hurting soul.
Thus it becomes a reality that we must assess the context of the African-American Church within this realm of trauma and global pandemic. The scripture does declare that we are in the world
