A Social Science Perspective to Seek and Find God under

many countries. Yet, they hold the key to better understand and transform social lives from grass root levels. In other words, the contribution of non-profits in transforming society for the better and in a positive way is still largely understated. Lastly, on the one hand, nonprofits have great capital for care and compassionate work while they sometimes lack the needed brains for more growth and increased impact. On the other hand, the private and private sector do have the brains, but sometimes lack the heart aspect. The complementarity of the two is needed for a vibrant and healthy society.

Nonprofits and Covid 19 – Organisations in the nonprofit sector are deeply involved in many human crises. The same is definitely true with the responses to Covid 19. In this time of the coronavirus pandemic, do social sciences have a say towards seeking and finding God? Of course yes, particularly from the point of view of the Social Teaching of the Church. A reminder of Galileo Galilei’s words is apt here: “the world is like a book. By being able to read it[s scientific laws], one can know a bit more about its Whereas a government would enact laws to be enforced for people to adhere to Covid 19 guidelines at the risk of possible prosecution, the nonprofit organisations opt for awareness, advocacy, and anti-stigma campaigns within societies. Their key actions often fail to catch the attention of the media, which tends to pursue the actions of politicians and key business people.

Lessons from Nonprofits. Christians should learn what nonprofits do in their environment and be part of the support system. This is a way of finding God in any situation. Such organisations or groups are spread all over and we need to open our eyes and be part of the change that we want to bring about in our areas. For example, Author – God” (cf. 1623- 1641). It is all out there: all what one needs is to observe, apprehend (test), reflect and make the most of it (cf. Spiritual Exercises nos 106, 107, 124 & 125). Since science is about knowledge (epistemology), social sciences can offer in its way unique perspectives, this being one of a kind. The seduction of power or one may be concerned about the number of street children in our cities and want something to be done. It is easy to give some few dollars to the child, but this does not go far enough and one will never know what that money will be used for. But engaging an organisation like Zambuko House in Harare, Zimbabwe, which specialises in rehabilitating street children would indeed help in a bigger way than giving out a few dollars to a street child. Channelling one’s resources to such an organisation contributes to a holistic way of addressing the problem. Nonprofits provide avenues for anyone to be part of a noble cause without necessarily having to be qualified or be an expert in a given area. Numerous ways to offer help are

A Social Science Perspective to Seek and Find God under Covid-19

available. Fr Paulo Gaspar SJ Gregorian University, Rome, Italy the paradoxical ideology of knowing. By extending broadly the debate between qualitative and quantitative research methods in Social Sciences through a historical comparative approach, one may come to understand the digital formalization of knowledge, comprising letters and numbers. The formalisation of knowledge

is present right from the beginning in elementary school and continues up to tertiary education becoming Arts and Sciences division. The debate reflects the “interior fracture of which humanity is victim, not only of the original sin, but as well to the seduction of the evil one… in introducing deviations as noxious as it appears in accordance with our instinctive aspirations” (Pope John Paul II: 1987). In fact, what is and was meant to be complementary diversity became division: within oneself – body and soul, a couple – husband and wife, a nation – people and government, internationally – north and south, academically – intelligent and not… one can name it. Thus, forms of rivalries against one another instead of uniting and establishing an equilibrium of forces, as it does the sun (among the first worshiped entities). The rivalries emerged from the desire to respond to the seduction or to quench the thirst for power “Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gn 3, 4-5). This macrocosmic pattern repeats itself in the microcosms of knowledge as one of its foundation allegories, defining it as “justified true believe” (cf. Plato’s Meno) shows the thirst for possession, in this case of knowledge – one must possess it – as justification is explained by comparing true belief with Daedalus’ statues which had to be tied up so that they could not run away and be controlled. Different branches of knowledge constructed methodological systems in order to justify their deemed true beliefs summarised by Augusto Comte as theological, philosophical and positivism. The first two rely on ‘true belief’ – expressed through letters – and the last one considers justification through empirical evidence facilitated by numbers. Through the pursuit of experimentation characteristic of the modern era, positivist sciences dismissed arts. At least artists accepted to be sidelined in the arena of knowledge, since the methodology of the arts did not qualify in the domain of sciences. The capitulation of the arts marked the beginning of the consideration of technologies as applied positivism, which reached the top and won the debate, partly because of the resignation of the Arts. This created an absence of new narratives. The recession of the arts did not show the full importance of this domain to humanity since it was eclipsed by sciences and statistics. Science is mesmerized by its seductive power, partly, because of the gimmicks of simplification. A number is univocal and thus, what it states is certain. Nevertheless through simplification numbers leave out a great deal of the world’s complexity. Another and more complicated problem comes from inductive reasoning, a logic common in sciences, whereby, in a simplified way, a belief is justified on the basis of previous successful cases taken as part of the body of knowledge. Though justified, knowledge is still a belief and a large part of humanity believes in its results in such a way as to place all trust in sciences. Each one individually reaches one’s handful of technology like Old Japi (cf. Mungoshi 1975: 115). Through narratives, Arts remind everyone that where two or more diverse elements do not strike a balance they will surely fall. Positivism therefore, like the Tower of Babel (Gn 11, 1–9), crawls. Like the Babylonian statue (Dn 2, 31-45) the clay feet of science have been struck by the coronavirus rock, since they were not protected by the Arts (cf. Leonidas in 300 Spartacus: 2006). For, if Sciences employ simplification as a problem solving approach, Arts take into account the complexity of the situation (e.g when interpreting a

poem) and adopt a problem copying approach, as was the case, for example of the Narnia’s chronic. In order to have life in abundance (cf. Jn 10, 10) the various parts of life and the world need to come together in a united life giving purpose, as Martin Schulman’s poem reminds us That morning appeared God to all His creation. And to each one God gave the seed of life on its own way One by one, the whole creation stepped forward to the Creator of all things As to receive from Him its own Gift and Mission; and He completed:…each one of you is perfect, but you will not understand that Until you all became, just One… now go!

We are back to the same old conclusion: because of wanting to stand alone the (medical) sciences are on their knees! Nonetheless, “as it… is” in all crises, or in The Structure of Scientific Revolution (Thomas Kuhn) or even according Hegel’s

St John Baptist Parish, Maputo, Mozambique dialectical theory “Let light Catholic Church herself. shine out of darkness” (cf. God is leading humanity 2 Cor 4, 6). Now, where can to both new frontiers and one see this Light during the good but abandoned this pandemic? First, one ones too. Humility is the can see God in a better way catalyst and lenses for in prayer, from a kneeling observing God at work. But position like a professional other people lack humility photographer searching in its various degrees (cf. for the right angle. In that Spiritual Exercises, 165- position, as Moises Penã 168), and contrary to the said colloquially, “one Principle and Foundation (cf can see God at work (cf. Spiritual Exercises, 23) they Spiritual Exercises, 234) become indifferent to the in the doctors and other service of others for fear of medical personnel, and dying. However this is not professionals in different be confused with carelessly areas of competence who putting others at risk. tirelessly still work to fight May be God can also be this pandemic”. sought and found from Notwithstanding the the basic foundation that obvious challenges posed everything has to become by the pandemic, good just One, as all is really part things continue to happen. of one vulnerable world Some people have entered prone to Covid-19. Maybe into deep personal reflection humanity needs to balance in search of the meaning knowledge and principles of life beyond letters and of wisdom in order to numbers. Through such complement both Arts and an exercise one can find Sciences. May be everyone God. Many institutions are needs to be humble and not rediscovering themselves, be stuck in one’s scientific starting from the basic or artistic perspectives on ones such as family to life so as to find and see more complex ones like the God. (cf Spiritual Exercises, X) Mukai -Vukani No.77 | July 2020 | 33