What does it mean to ask "God to keep you safe" in the time of a pandemic? What is the meaning and scope of divine protection?

The belief in divine protection is a significant feature of the Christian response to the pandemic particularly within some of the African and Caribbean Churches in the UK. On the one hand, all churches offered prayers for divine protection over individuals and the nation. On the other, some Christian groups, went further than offering prayers and promoting the sale of special protection kits, "guaranteed to ward off Corona Virus." Tragically, some believers in Britain, believing God is protecting them, didn't seek medical help when they were sick and passed away.

In this programme, Professor Robert Beckford sets out to discover the meaning of 'divine protection' within his own Pentecostal Christian tradition.

Producer: Rajeev Gupta