Religion in lockdown: worship in the time of Covid-19

ABSTRACT

The state of lockdown during Covid-19 had a significant impact on the way in which religion was practised with respect to attitudes towards faith, rituals, and ways of worshipping. This study captures the experiences of practitioners of different faiths in the immediate aftermath of the first lockdown in the UK. Questions were designed to prompt reflection on this drastic change to normal life. The study shows that the experience of lockdown not only provided people with space to think about their faith but also forced them to confront their praxis. What emerged were the novel ways in which respondents engaged with digital technology (the practice of religion online) and material culture to facilitate worship.

KEYWORDS:

• Religion in lockdown
• digital religion
• material culture

Acknowledgement

The author would like to thank Dr Pritesh Mistry.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Wyatt quotes from a WHO document that served as interim guidance, published on 7 April 2020 (see https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/practical-considerations-and-recommendations-for-religious-leaders-and-faith-based-communities-in-the-context-of-covid-19, accessed 5 June 2020).

2 Sulkowski and Ignatowsk’s article (2020) examines the impact of Covid-19 on the organisation of religious behaviour in different churches in Poland. They looked at activities undertaken by churches in Poland at the beginning of the pandemic and conducted in-depth interviews with clergymen. They found that different forms of engagement were taken up, including the use of modern technologies, access to the media, and more community-oriented service.

3 Respondents were asked to address the following questions and to give reasons and examples: 1. How has lockdown affected your beliefs with respect to religion? 2. How has lockdown affected your practices with respect to religion? 3. What are your views about online religion? 4. What are the most important things you’ve learnt with respect to your faith during lockdown? 5. Prior to lockdown how did you worship? 6. How do you think you’ll feel going back to your place of worship after it reopens? 7. Do you think you will continue to make use of online resources in your religious practices? 8. Do you feel supported by leaders or representatives of your faith? 9. Are there any other points you’d like to discuss that haven’t been raised in the survey/interview, or any further comments you’d like to make?

4 According to the UK Census of 2021, the religious composition of England and Wales is 46.2% Christian, 37.2% no religion, 6.5% Islam, 1.7% Hindu, 0.9% Sikh, 0.5% Judaism, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.6% Other religions, and 6% Not stated.

5 Interviews were conducted by telephone between 14 and 17 May 2020. They were recorded and transcribed. I invited all respondents to choose their preferred method of interview. Five preferred telephone; two suggested either phone or Skype, but did not express a preference. The chosen method was opted for in the interests of parity. Interview data were transcribed and are used verbatim, as are comments given in the survey.

6 In the Hindu diaspora, for example, temples are multifunctional and serve as social and welfare hubs.

7 The name of the web site was given as https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/funerals/light-candle-remember-someone (accessed 25 June 2020). In comparison with similar web sites set up by religious organisations, the similarities are striking and the ritual act is broken down into simple progressive steps.

8 An example of one such organisation is Luton’s “Discover Islam Centre”. Some charities teamed up with mosques to make this possible.

9 This respondent did not take up the offer of an interview and thus clarification about her last statement could not be sought.

10 This temple is officially known as BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.

11 The fact that Hinduism does not have a central doctrine or creed contributes to its diversity of practices and pluralism.

12 Three interviewees said that they would have liked to talk longer, but the disruptions caused by lockdown meant that they were not able to commit more time than they would otherwise have been able to. All eleven stated that it made them feel better to be able to talk about the experiences they had gone through and the decisions they had made.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rina Arya

Rina Arya is Professor of Visual Culture and Theory at the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has written about the artist Francis Bacon (2012) and abjection (2014, 2016) and authored a number of articles on spirituality and contemporary art. Her current focus of research is the crossover between material culture and religious studies. She is working on a book about the cultural appropriation of Hindu symbols. CORRESPONDENCE: School of Arts and Humanities, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK.