The village of Eyam sits about 30 miles east of Manchester in the UK and according to the 2011 British census, it has less than 1,000 residents. But during the 17th century, this unassuming town was hit by the bubonic plague. In the coming months, it killed dozens of residents. Then, just when town leaders thought the crisis had abated, it struck again.

On this episode of Prayer amid Pandemic, Mathew Knell, the program leader and lecturer in historical theology and church history at the London School of Theology, describes how the church overall reacted during the time to the bubonic plague, why the story of Eyam has turned into a myth over time, and why the faith of the leaders in the village should inspire the church today.

Carlos Barros is Cru’s director of Vida en Familia in Tucumán, Argentina and offers this episode’s prayer.

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Music by Urban Nerd Beats, Prod. Riddiman, and Oliver Dúvel

Prayer amid Pandemic is produced by Morgan Lee, Mike Cosper, and Erik Petrik