#185
Religion as a Source of Strength During the Pandemic

Epidemiologic studies on the omicron variant are underway and COVID-19-related restrictions are being reintroduced in many countries. Several new resources provide more evidence about how religious beliefs and communities help in coping with mental health issues and in promoting behaviors that prioritize public health. 
 
In an opinion piece for the Washington Post, Michael Gerson reflects on a study published by the Pew Research Center, suggesting that religious beliefs in the United States have not been shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, 91% of the country’s population still respond that they believe in “God or a higher power,” of which only 17% sometimes or often blame God for “allowing so much suffering.” Focusing on the Christian faith, Gerson argues that there is instead an intrinsic ability of scriptures and teachings to support believers when they encounter suffering and death, by attributing meaning and purpose to their experiences. In his words, “God takes the side of the suffering. He is not merely the God of the philosophers. He is the God who wipes our tears and lifts our head.”
 
Another opinion article published in the New York Daily News focused on the origin of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and its potential to foster responses to the pandemic that prioritize public health. Yehudah Mirsk refers to the fact that members of the Jewish community who revolted against the Greek rulers in Palestine and liberated the temple fought on the Sabbath too. The same principle, “that when you have to choose between scrupulous religious observance and preserving life and health, life and health come first,” does and should inspire members of the Jewish community to act in the interest of public health, according to the author.
 
Some processions and celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the United States will resume after last year’s cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The largest gathering outside of Mexico held in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe will take place next week in Des Plaines, Illinois. Participants will be asked to wear face coverings and keep physical distance. As the rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe told Religion News Service, taking part in such rituals is particularly important for the Catholic Latino community living in the United States, since it will help them tackle isolation and mental health issues connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Nigeria (population 210 million), only 3.5 million people have had two vaccine doses. In a recent move, the government engaged religious institutions to speed up the vaccination rollout. Mosques and churches are thus being used by health care workers to reach people who have not had their first or second jab and, in collaboration with religious leaders, to promote vaccine uptake.

In Papua New Guinea, an article published by the Guardian reports that the vaccination campaign is met with widespread distrust among the population, at least partly due to a lack of adequate information provided by the government. Vaccine hesitancy and conspiracy theories are sometimes linked to local belief systems. For example, some Christians view vaccines as “a sort of weakness, because it means that you don’t trust that God is going to protect you.” Dr. Prashanth Pillayan, who co-authored one of the studies, also pointed out that, when it comes to the role of churches in the vaccination rollout, some think that “the church is the place for biblical teachings, and it should not veer from that.” At the same time, studies that analyzed online interactions on these issues highlight that religious arguments are not a primary driver at this stage.