Faith and the COVID vaccine: What religions have doctrinal reasons for being unvaccinated?
Danae King
There is a lot of discussion about religious reasons for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but in reality, there are actually very few religions who have documented, doctrinal reasons for not believing in immunizations.
Despite the fact that it has been dominating national news, evangelical Christianity isn’t one of them.
Still, some Christians and other people of faith are citing their religion as a reason why they won’t get the COVID-19 vaccine.
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White evangelical Protestants are the only religious group that didn't reach a majority when asked in a Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) poll if they believe they should get vaccinated because it "helps protect everyone" and "is a way to live out the religious principle of loving my neighbors."
Only 43% of white evangelical Protestants agreed with those statements, compared to 56% of Black Protestants and 61% of Hispanic Protestants, according to the survey.
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One way white evangelical Protestants say their faith is against the vaccine is by talking of eternal life, like Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves did in late August.
“When you believe in eternal life — when you believe that living on this earth is but a blip on the screen — then you don’t have to be so scared of things,” Reeves said.
That belief, that God controls everything, is a core belief of evangelicals, said PRRI Director of Research Natalie Jackson.
Most religions don't prohibit vaccines
There are many religious arguments for and against the COVID-19 vaccination. Here are some of the major religions' beliefs about it:
Catholicism
Catholic officials expressed initial concerns about the use of cell lines from aborted fetuses in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but ultimately said Catholics could still get the vaccine if it was the only one available.
In a March statement, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said "being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good.”
Almost 80% of white Catholics were accepting of the vaccine in July, according to a PRRI study, and Hispanic Catholics were one of the religious groups whose vaccine acceptance increased the most. It went from 56% in March to 80% in June, according to PRRI.
Other Christians
Christians, not including Catholics, were 77% accepting of vaccines, according to PRRI's release in July.
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The vast majority of Christian denominations have no theological opposition to vaccines, including Eastern Orthodox, Amish, Anglican, Baptist, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mennonites, Quakers and Pentecostal Christians, according to Vanderbilt University Medical Center research.
Christian denominations with a theological opposition to vaccination
The only Christian denominations who cite a theological reason for opposing vaccines are the Dutch Reformed Church and Church of Christ, Scientist, according to Vanderbilt.
Some members of the Dutch Reformed Church decline vaccines because it "interferes with divine providence," while others accept it as a gift from God, Vanderbilt research shows.
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Other research points to illnesses from smallpox vaccines in the 19th century as a reason some in the religion do not want vaccines.
Denominations that believe in faith healing, or laying hands on people in order to heal their illnesses, also likely don't believe in vaccines.
Church of Christ, Scientist, teaches that prayer will alleviate and prevent disease, so members may request vaccine exemptions, the Vanderbilt research shows. The denomination doesn't strictly prohibit vaccination, though.
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In a release on the church's website, officials say that most members rely on prayer for healing.
"So we’ve appreciated vaccination exemptions and sought to use them conscientiously and responsibly, when they have been granted," the release states. "Church members are free to make their own choices on all life-decisions, in obedience to the law, including whether or not to vaccinate their children. These aren’t decisions imposed by their church."
Islam
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) released information encouraging people to get the vaccine and to take other precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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"One of the highest objectives of Islamic law is to preserve and protect human life," said Imam Mohamed Magid, former president of the ISNA and the executive imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center in Sterling, Virginia.
Magid spoke for a Religion News Service (RNS) recorded interview on the COVID-19 vaccine in January.
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"Muslims have done preventive medicine throughout history, and Muslims are among the first people to believe in the idea of vaccination," Magid said, according to RNS.
"The idea of preventing harm comes from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who said, if there's any contagious disease in a city, you should not enter that city or leave it. If you contract that sickness, you should not go on to spread it. This is the theological foundation for vaccination."
Early on during COVID-19 vaccination efforts, there were concerns expressed that pork products — which the religion forbids followers to consume — might be in the vaccines. ISNA said in its release that the vaccines don't contain pork products.
Judaism
Jewish people support vaccination, as one of the most important tenets of the religion is preserving life. Protecting one's health is a mitzvah, or obligation, according to Chabad.org.
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"It is not enough to deal with health issues as they arise; we must take precautions to avoid danger," the site states.
The Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Union for Reform Judaism and the Orthodox Union all released statements supporting vaccination.
Many Columbus synagogues, of all denominations, are requiring vaccines and masks at High Holiday services this year.
dking@dispatch.com
@DanaeKing