Allyson Creasman is an associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, where she specializes in the German reformation. Dr. Creasman paints a thorough picture of the pandemic in Luther’s time, examining the early modern quarantine legislation and the secularization of the healthcare system. She discusses whether Luther would have a Twitter, what his thoughts on social distancing were, and what the debates over censorship in Luther’s time can teach us about today’s controversies over fake news.   Censorship and Dissemination of Information in Reformation Germany   Martin Luther’s Response to Plague   Secularization of Healthcare   Early Quarantine Legislation   Early Modern Understandings of Plague   Sociological Ramifications of the Bubonic Plague   Links: The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel

Dr. John Buchmann, executive director of Beatrice Institute, talks with Andrew Yuengert, professor of economics and social thought at Catholic University of America. Their conversation covers what economists have to learn from Aristotle, the limits of rational choice theory, and what theologians stand to gain from economists. They apply these insights to the COVID-19 crisis and discuss how we can act with prudence. Intersection between Ethics and Economics   Fact-Value Distinction   Practical Wisdom   Technique without Reflection   How Theologians Can Learn from Economists   Unintentional Order   Economic Models for the Crisis   Prudent Action   Links: Intelligent Virtue by Julia Annas Aquinas and the Market by Mary Hirschfeld Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing by Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe The Four Cardinal Virtues by Joseph Pieper

Dr. Elise Ryan, scholar of early modern literature and faculty fellow at Beatrice Institute, joins us to discuss the poetry that comes out of experiences of trauma. She and Prof. McDermott take a close look at John Lydgate’s “Dance of Death,” Larry Levis’s “Anastasia and Sandman,” and Gerard Manley Hopkins’s “Carrion Comfort.” They discuss how poetry helps articulate experiences of grief, why poetry comes long after community trauma, and the link between poetry and prayer. The images referenced in this episode can be found on our website: https://beatriceinstitute.org/art-that-comes-out-of-plague-images Medieval poetry and the Black Death The cultural impact of despair and grief Ring around the rosie Belated responses to crisis Articulating experiences of trauma Repetition in lieu of coherent narrative Memory and trauma The power found in witnessing The link between poetry and prayer Poetry as a lifesaver rather than escapism. Links: “Dance of Death” by John Lydgate “Anastasia and Sandman” by Larry Levis “Carrion Comfort” by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Chris Nygren teaches history of art and architecture and serves as the Director of Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Nygren joins us to discuss miracle-making images, specifically those associated with healing from plague. Dr. Nygren examines what these icons meant to people in the past and how they continue to matter to believers today. We end our discussion by talking about the images of Pope Francis giving his Urbi et Orbi in an empty St. Peter’s Square. The images referenced in this episode can be found on our website: https://beatriceinstitute.org/miraculous-images-and-contemporary-meaning-making-images Miraculous images Boccaccio’s Decameron Rituals of remembrance and the contingency of society Making sense of survival The intersection of Catholic devotion and public health Icons as plague protection Pope Francis’s Urbi et Orbi Corporeal power in images Contemporary meaning-making Links: The Decameron by Boccaccio Boris TV series The Historian’s Craft by Marc Bloch

Prof. Ryan McDermott reads the full text of a letter Martin Luther wrote during an outbreak of the bubonic plague in 1527. (Check out our interview with Pastor Eric Andrae for more on this letter!) Luther gives practical and pastoral advice on how Christians should conduct themselves in a time of plague. His recommendations are strikingly relevant now, even from a public health standpoint.

Darrel Darby is President and CEO of Darco International, a medical-device company based in West Virginia but working globally. We chat with Darrel, who is currently in self-quarantine, about what his job looks like during the COVID-19 crisis. Darrel tells us about the ways he’s keeping his employees safe, how quarantine is giving him a chance to reevaluate his life, and how the Christian tradition prepared his company for these challenges. Challenges of running a medical-device company during a medical crisis How businesses can take care of employees How the Christian tradition prepares you for crisis The importance of trust The freedom found in living virtuously Social isolation as a chance to reevaluate important relationships and priorities   Links: The Noonday Devil by Dom Jean-Charles Nault O.S.B. The Waning of the Middle Ages by Johan Huizinga Revolutions podcast Pints with Aquinas podcast

Dr. Brent Robbins is a professor of psychology with a specialty in psychology of religion and spirituality. Much of Dr. Robbins’ work focuses on systems of understanding human suffering. He joins us to discuss what spirituality looks like in times of crisis and what role religion can play in coping. We cover spiritual solidarity, the relationship between religion and coping, and how to understand social isolation from a Christian perspective.   Religious forms of coping Redefining isolation: time to connect with God Rationing time on social media Interpreting experiences of crisis Religious control: self-directing and deferring approaches Collaborative approach: active participation with God in coping Surrender approach: yielding personal control in times of waiting   Links: Bishop Robert Barron YouTube Channel

Pastor Eric Andrae is a Lutheran pastor whose pastoral work has now become virtual. As a chaplain for Lutheran Student Fellowship and International Student Ministry, he knows the spiritual struggles his students and parishioners are encountering as they practice social distancing. We chat about how he is reaching out to his congregation, what a Lutheran approach to remote worship looks like, and what Martin Luther had to say about social distancing during the bubonic plague. How an epidemic changes pastoral work Corporate worship and livestream services Means of grace Scriptural reading to grow closer in the Word Spiritual communion Forming and maintaining habits in isolation Communal intimacy God works all things ultimately for the good Benefits for the spiritual life: reaching out and connecting with others Martin Luther on social isolation during the bubonic plague God’s will works through people Compline and daily prayer Links: Confessions by St. Augustine InterVarsity Best Christian Book of All Time Life Together by Dietriech Bonhoeffer Daily Prayer from Lutheran Student Fellowship To Live with Christ by Bo Giertz

Rev. Paul Abernathy is an Orthodox priest who works with trauma-affected communities in Pittsburgh, PA. Right now, Rev. Abernathy is mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on his community by organizing “community health deputies,” battling food insecurity, and making medical care available to people in isolation through telemedicine. Rev. Abernathy serves as chief executive of Neighborhood Resilience Project, an organization that focuses on trauma-informed community building. We cover what inspired the founding of his organization, how trauma affects neighborhoods, and how his faith impacts the way he sees his work and community.   Community trauma: trauma becomes foundational for a neighborhood’s worldview Trauma-informed community development Telemedicine and caring for people in isolation Community health deputies: building resilience among community members Battling food insecurity An epidemiological approach to gun violence Trauma-affected communities and overwhelmed institutions Physical isolation vs. social isolation Micro-communities Good neighbor fund: communities addressing tragedy together Community as a reflection of the Gospel: be one as Christ and the Father are one Letting the good news inform your work Supporting Neighborhood Resilience Project Links: Neighborhood Resilience Project Website  Neighborhood Resilience Project volunteer application Neighborhood Resilience Project Facebook The Way of a Pilgrim book