#183
Religion and Conspiracy Theories: It’s Complicated

Reflections on the relationship between religion and vaccine hesitancy become more nuanced. While the importance of religious engagement in support of vaccination campaigns continues to be evident across different continents, it becomes increasingly clear that multidimensional approaches - that include but are not limited to religion - are key to dispelling myths and achieving more adequate responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
In a blog post for the LSE Phelan United States Centre, David J. Robertson makes the point that the link between religion and conspiracy theories is complex. Both beliefs connected to religion and to conspiracy theories are “fluid and deeply entangled with many different aspects of our lives, rather than a kind of computer program that unresponsively drives our behavior.” In his opinion, taking these entanglements into account is necessary in order to reflect, legislate, and act more effectively on issues of freedom of religion or belief, including concerning responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
IsraAid, the biggest Israeli NGO working in international development, engaged in supporting the roll-out of the vaccination campaign in Eswatini, where they concluded that a multidimensional approach which includes the religious dimension was essential. Based on their firsthand experience, they reported that vaccine hesitancy connected to religious and other beliefs remained very high in the country and reiterated the urgent need to combat misinformation and tackle misconceptions by integrating religious and other types of engagement.
 
Meanwhile, the issue of religious beliefs as linked to vaccine hesitancy is still at the center of debate in the United States, where the Interim Rule now requires health care facilities to ensure that all their employees are vaccinated, except for the ones who are exempt due to medical reasons or “sincerely held religious beliefs.” A vade mecum published by JD Supra illustrates what the requirements for the latter are and how healthcare facilities should go about assessing this type of exemption. For instance, the vademecum explains that the Interim Rule follows the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s understanding of religion as a set of beliefs that “address fundamental questions about life, purpose, and death” through a theistic or non-theistic approach. These beliefs, according to their definition, may or may not be identifiable as part of an established and organized religious tradition.

In different world regions, religious actors continue to mobilize in support of vaccination rollouts. In Kosovo, where 42% of the population has been vaccinated, mosques have partnered with national health authorities to support the vaccine roll-out. During Friday prayers, imams are urging community members to get the vaccine and hosting medical teams who offer inoculations in the mosques’ courtyards. In Israel, a multireligious initiative saw Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Druze, and Baháʼí leaders join forces to support the vaccination campaign in their communities. In a joint statement, they claimed that “the sanctity of life is a supreme value for religions and the saving of the life of any human being – all created in the image of God – is the greatest religious obligation of all.” They also pointed out that developing countries must receive enough support to be able to implement adequate immunization campaigns, and that interreligious and international cooperation have a key role to play in this process.