Pandemic Year #3
Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor reflects on starting a third year of a global pandemic. Looking at coverage of this pandemic and the flu pandemic of a century before, he offers some lessons to consider.
Pope Denounces Fake News about COVID & Vaccines
Pope Francis denounced fake news about COVID-19 and vaccines Friday, blasting the “distortion of reality based on fear” but also urging that people who believe such lies are helped to understand true scientific facts.
Behind the Pulpit: Lindsey Braun
Senior Editor Beau Underwood interviews Lindsey Braun, pastor of education and faith formation at Plymouth Church in Des Moines, Iowa, for the latest installment of our “Behind the Pulpit” series intended to pull back the curtain on the minister’s life.
Eric Schmitt Fails a Moral Test on School Masks
Brian Kaylor reacts with satirical humor and sharp criticism to Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filing lawsuits against dozens of public school districts after school officials enacted mask rules to keep children and teachers healthy amid the omicron surge.
In Eastern Germany, Pastors Push for Shots Despite Protests
Saxony state in eastern Germany has the lowest vaccination rate among Germany’s 16 federal states, and one of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases. So, Lutheran pastors across Saxony have used their sermons to promote vaccines as the most efficient way to prevent severe illness
Wary of Omicron, Churches Shift Christmas Services Online
The Washington National Cathedral — whose policies often set the tone for churches in the area — said they were moving all services online during the holiday season. Washington, D.C. currently has the highest COVID-19 case rates in the country.
Unsettling Advent, Day 26
In day 26 of our Unsettling Advent devotional series, Voices Editor Jeremy Fuzy reflects on canceled Christmas plans due to Omicron and the teaching to love your neighbor as yourself.
Across U.S., Houses of Worship Struggle to Rebuild Attendance
Polls shows how dramatically church attendance fell during the worst of the pandemic last year, even as many say they are now returning to regular service attendance. Churches large and small have taken hits in attendance.
New Advent Album by The Porter’s Gate is Balm for a Pandemic-Weary World
The newest album by The Porter’s Gate is a far cry from the peppy “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”-type Christmas tunes. Drawing heavily from biblical Scriptures and written with congregational worship in mind, Advent Songs is meant as a hope-filled response to 2021’s weighty realities.
Some Pastors Fear Talking About Vaccines. Other See Them as a Blessing.
Fewer than half of churchgoers say their clergy (44%) have spoken about vaccines. One exception: historically Black churches, where two-thirds of churchgoers say pastors have encouraged their people to get vaccines. And some have even led their churches to set up on-site vaccine clinics.