OPINION:
A new poll from Pew Research Center says that coronavirus has brought believers to their knees like never before — in prayer — and that 15% of Americans who say they never or seldom pray, have begun praying, while 24% of those say they’re without religion, have nonetheless turned to God.
Just goes to show: In the midst of darkness comes light.
As Psalms 34:18 states, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” — and Americans, according to Pew, are believing it.
According to the recent survey, 55% of U.S. adults say they’ve prayed for an end to the coronavirus outbreak.
Those who say they pray daily — roughly 86% of Americans as a whole, and 73% of those who identify as Christians — have “taken to prayer during the outbreak,” Pew reported.
Those are the expected.
But get this: So have plenty who normally don’t pray.
“So have some who say they seldom or never pray and people who say they do not belong to any religion (15% and 24%, respectively),” Pew reported.
The church-goers of the bunch have scaled back on their church-going habits recently — but that’s only because their churches have closed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
They’re still watching sermons.
They’re still getting the weekly doses, or in some cases, twice-weekly doses, of church services.
They’re just watching online now.
“Four-in-ten regular worshippers appear to have replaced in-person attendance with virtual worship,” Pew wrote.
The most interesting stat is the non-believers turning to prayer.
As the saying goes, there are no such things as atheists in foxholes.
It’s a little too early to suggest the coronavirus outbreak will have the same effect on America’s nonbelievers.
But it could.
Out of this coronavirus darkness could indeed come the bright glorious light of a national revival. The atheists won’t like it, of course — but then again, today’s atheists may be tomorrow’s evangelicals. Just can’t tell where this coronavirus crisis might lead.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.