‘Love Your Neighbor’ & Get the Shot: White Evangelical Leaders Push COVID Vaccines
Several national evangelical leaders also are speaking out in support of vaccination. Read full piece
White Evangelical Resistance Is Obstacle in Vaccination Effort
Millions of white evangelical adults in the U.S. do not intend to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Tenets of faith and mistrust of science play a role; so does politics. Read full piece
Vaccine Skepticism Runs Deep Among White Evangelicals in US
Vaccine skepticism is more widespread among White evangelicals than almost any other major bloc of Americans. With White evangelicals comprising an estimated 20% of the U.S. population, resistance to vaccination by half of them would seriously hamper efforts to achieve herd immunity.
With Vaccinations Rising, Religious Groups See Hope on Horizon as Major Holidays Approach
When the country came to a near standstill a year ago, most houses of worship closed their doors and turned to online services to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. This year, with cases plummeting and vaccinations on the rise, religious leaders across the nation
Washington Taps Pastors to Overcome Racial Divide on COVID Vaccine
Health officials in the nation’s capital are hoping that Black religious leaders will serve as community influencers to overcome what officials say is a persistent vaccine reluctance in the Black community. Several local ministers recently received their first vaccine shots.
Vaccine Availability for Clergy Varies by State
As states continue with the initial rollout of vaccines for COVID-19, the availability for pastors depends on their location as well as the definition of “essential.” Clergy are already eligible in some states, but not in others.
On Social Media, Vaccine Misinformation Mixes with Extreme Faith
Even with renewed efforts by tech companies, religious-themed misinformation is among the hardest to police. Read full piece
Houses of Worship Offer Spaces for Vaccine Distribution
Two national religious groups, one evangelical Christian, the other Orthodox Jewish, have teamed up to offer their sacred spaces for vaccine distribution, hoping to assist government officials and private companies in the effort to combat the ongoing pandemic.
NIH Director Tells Baptists to Wear Masks, Worship Virtually, & Get Vaccine
The unprecedented pace of developing vaccines for COVID-19 has not jeopardized their effectiveness or safety for Americans, the director of the National Institutes of Health said Thursday (Dec. 3) in a webinar hosted by the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
Why Herd Immunity is Worse than Other Potential Ethical Concerns About a COVID-19 Vaccine
The ethical issues surrounding development of a COVID-19 vaccine are complex but pale in comparison to the deaths that would be necessary to reach so-called “herd immunity” in the United States. Read full piece