Religião e epidemias na história: do essencial ao perverso

Mário Antônio Sanches; Ordilei Arcanjo Lovo; Leide da Conceição Sanches

doi:10.23925/1677-1222.2020vol20i2a10

Religion and epidemics in history: from essential to perverse

Authors

Mário Antônio Sanches PUC-PR http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5794-2272
Ordilei Arcanjo Lovo UNIR http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0576-9284
Leide da Conceição Sanches FPP http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5832-7132

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23925/1677-1222.2020vol20i2a10

Keywords:

Epidemics, Religion, Punishment, Suffering, Coping

Abstract

This study addresses the relationship between religion and epidemics seeking recurrent postures throughout history. This study was stimulated by the question: What is the relationship between epidemic and religion? It is seen that ancient societies attributed both natural and religious causes to epidemics. The idea of epidemics as punishment is also recurrent in history. The groups indicated as guilty were the same ones that were already discriminated in that society before the epidemic. It is concluded that religion can play relevant roles in coping with the disease and encouraging solidarity. However, it can also play harmful roles, which leads to the worsening of the crisis. So, religious attitudes in epidemics oscillate from essential to perverse.

Author Biographies

Mário Antônio Sanches, PUC-PR

Docente titular nos PPG em Teologia e em Bioética da PUC-PR (Curitiba, PR). Doutor em teologia (IEPG):

Ordilei Arcanjo Lovo, UNIR

Docente da UNIR (Porto Velho, RO). Doutor em teologia pela PUC-PR.

Leide da Conceição Sanches, FPP

Docente do PPG em Ensino das Ciências da Saúde das FPP (Curitiba, PR). Doutora em sociologia (UFPR).

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Published

2020-09-28

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 2 (2020): Espiritualidade e saúde

Section

Seção Temática

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