A theology of viruses

You may have learned by now that I have a morbid fascination with diseases (why else does one study microbiology?). With my studies came some interesting theological observations, particularly about viruses. As I have discussed in previous posts, viruses are composed of a nucleic acid, either RNA or DNA, wrapped in a protein shell. A virus may or may not have a lipid membrane around the protein coat. Also important to note is that viruses are not classified as living organisms. Viruses by themselves have no metabolism, cannot replicate on their own, and lack other basic qualifications for being considered “alive”.

Because viruses cannot self-replicate, but hijack the cellular machinery of a host cell in order to reproduce, it is believed the origin of viruses is after that of cells. Viruses can only reproduce by attacking and killing other organisms; there is no such thing as a self-sufficient virus. To me this corresponds well with the Genesis creation accounts.

In the beginning God creates everything: light, space-time, molecules, plants, animals, and people, and after each step He stops to admire His work and declares that it is “good” (Gen 1.4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). The Hebrew word used is “towb” and translates as “good, pleasant, excellent, and valuable.” All throughout God’s creating process, He affirms the goodness of His creation. He even concludes the sixth day, after creating humanity, by declaring His work to be “very good” (Gen 1:31).

But where in God’s good creation does a parasitic “almost-living” thing like a virus belong? I think we have to turn to Genesis chapter 3 for the explanation. Here we have the Fall of Humanity and all of creation with it. God’s very good creation became marred by human sin and there were grave consequences; death entered creation and with it came viruses. It should be noted that Satan is not creative himself, but instead subverts preexisting things. We see with the temptation of Adam and Eve that the serpent twisted God’s words: "did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (Gen 3:1b). Similarly, viruses are fraudulent creatures which mimic life, but exist by means of death, the result of sin. Viruses are a corruption of life, and there is no place for viruses in God’s good creation. They are an unfortunate result of sin and a reality we must face until all of creation is made new, but we know that when creation is transformed there will no longer be viruses to kill and destroy. We have not yet eradicated all viruses, but the day of their destruction is coming and there will be justice for all that has been stolen from humanity and creation by viruses.