The Invisible Covid Church

Much of what we have done as leaders during Covid has been invisible to our membership. Our outreach – street evangelism, working with the local senior citizens centre – is not seen by them. Even the pastoral care, and small groups, all happen online, and so are invisible to those not actually involved in each activity. Our physical services, back in the building, although witnessed by some through livestreaming, are not experienced by many of even our supposedly ‘regular’ congregation, from pre-Covid days. The church is therefore fractured, and in its fragmentation therefore invisible to most people. 

 

Could this lead to a reconsideration of the Doctrine of the Invisible Church? This idea was promulgated by Calvin and Luther, in order to respond the visible reality of the Roman Catholic Church, which maintained the sacraments, had all the appearance of a bona fide church, but was apostate. Indeed, even within the Protestant churches, there were frequently outbreaks of heresy; and within their congregations inevitably a mix of saved and unsaved people. So, the notion of the ‘invisible church’ was coined to refer to all those genuinely born again, known only to God; as opposed to those who belong to, and even minister in, the ‘visible church’ – although they obviously overlap. Its Biblical root may lie in Jesus’ parable of the wheat and tares (Mt. 13.24-30). Although the original meaning concerns the mixed nature of the Kingdom, not the church, the church as the community of the kingdom must also share in this indeterminate nature.

Additionally, as the western church has declined, the term has assumed another meaning. It is common to discover followers of Christ, who, for whatever reason don’t belong to any ‘visible’ fellowship, but drift through the anomie-laden urban environment (See Steve Aisthorpe’s book). This may occur through unrepentant sin, which leads to withdrawal from fellowship, even where they have not been officially disciplined. But such separation could also occur because of shift work, or geographical relocation, producing to an unsettled lifestyle that militates against active church involvement.

There are two senses in which the phrase describes our current predicament. Firstly, there are those who have been unable to manage the technicalities of online church, and have become separated from us – perhaps renegotiating the concept of ‘separated brethren’, by which Catholics refer to Protestant churches. Secondly, since much current church activity is hidden from many church members, this too suggests a new use of the term, ‘invisible church’. At any time, much church work is hidden, from public gaze, but especially during Coronavirus. Jesus’ parable about the hidden character of kingdom work (Mk. 4.26-29) demonstrates this. And the frequent lack of visible results challenges the faith of any gospel worker (Hab. 3.17-19).

Furthermore, God himself is said to be “hidden” (Isa. 45.15); a Deus Absconditus doctrine developed by Martin Luther. For, often we do not “perceive” his actions (Jb. 23.8-9), especially when, during Covid, we feel abandoned (Mt. 27.46). Yet faith means to affirm his presence at all times Jn. 5.17).