#180
Short-Term Imperatives Include Access and Vaccination; Research Emerging on Longer-Term Implications
Global leaders (including religious leaders) are focusing attention on climate change as the Glasgow COP26 gets underway, albeit with commentaries suggesting that G20 action on the COVID-19 emergencies during the overlapping October 30-31 G20 Summit fell short of hopes and expectations. Speculation about the links among COVID-19, climate change, and religious communities will surely feature in the weeks ahead.
The impact of the COVID-19 emergencies on conflicts worldwide, including tensions linked to religion, came into focus with several violent incidents in different world regions. Pope Francis spoke against what some see but also fear will be a rise in violence as COVID-19 restrictions ease.
Crux commentary observed: “While the coronavirus might have put a pause on many of the other problems the world was facing pre-pandemic, the underlying issues and instability in many of these situations has not gone away. As vaccines continue to be administered and restrictions are increasingly eased, it is likely similar attacks could be an unfortunate part of a ‘return to normalcy’ in a post-COVID world.” This is a trend to watch.
The COVID-19 impact on religious landscapes has included significant elements of technology. Demand for religious services have increased, with particular focus on mourning and threats of illness and death, and many communities were forced to rely heavily on technology. Streaming services, virtual reality headsets, and an increase in asynchronous religious services has become a new normal for many devotees. Digitization of worship practices was arguably on the horizon in 2019, with
shared digital spaces. In a globalized world, technology was at the forefront of innovation long before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the global spread of the deadly coronavirus gave technology an extra push, as many forms of services at synagogues, churches, mosques, temples, and other sacred spaces were offered via
Zoom. In India, temple closures led to the expanded use of
virtual rituals. Practicing Hindus could purchase digital ritual applications in order to perform rituals in any space. Virtual reality headsets allowed devotees to immerse themselves in the experience of being in a temple. This platform also allowed users to make virtual offerings of flowers and incense.
Heated debates, including legal battles and heightened focus on conspiracy theories and misinformation spreading through social media surround vaccine equity, mandates, and exemptions. In the United States, some
workers and
students have forged religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates due to their distrust of the vaccine. Positive religious action is also reported. Where vaccine supplies are limited, for example in
South Africa and Nigeria, Catholic officials are urging congregants to get the vaccine when it is available. Where protestors focus on vaccine hesitancy, evidence suggests that hesitancy is driven more by a distrust of the government rather than religious beliefs.
An exploratory article in
Sociology of Religion traces broad lines of coming research examining the impact of the COVID-19 era on religious institutions. It takes a realistic view of how research is constrained: “Sociologists of religion are only beginning to grapple with the many unanticipated and unseen dynamics of this global phenomenon. These happenings were playing out as most social scientists were also moving their professional lives into quarantine, taking on new roles, getting trained in social distancing practices, and managing the radical uncertainty of their work and home lives. As the circumstances of the pandemic normalize, as acceptable risks and potential vaccines emerge, and as the ability to secure analytical focus returns, there is no doubt that clever, insightful, and not-yet-fully apparent means of analyzing and revealing profound structural patterns will emerge.”
