This week, we highlight some resources that address the ways in which religious actors can (and often do) respond to the needs of children affected by the pandemic and to the rise of gender-based violence. We report on new developments in religious engagements with vaccination campaigns on the African continent and on a new book (in French) on spirituality in pandemic times.

There is considerable focus on the needs of children whose parents have been affected by the pandemic. For example, a study by Imperial College London showed that “10.4 million children worldwide lost one or both parents, a grandparent or other secondary caregiver to COVID-19 from early 2020 through April this year.” Albert Reyes, president of Buckner International (a Baptist charity organization based in the United States), called for a greater engagement of Christian organizations and communities in responding to these needs, such as through foster care, adoptions, and mental health support.

In an academic article published by Religions, Thinandavha Derrick Mashau reflects on the use of the biblical narrative of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13 to counter the rise in gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, employing a practical-missiological lens. The case study is about a family located in South Africa, but Mashau’s reflections have relevance for Christian communities in other countries.

While most religious leaders in South Africa have supported vaccination campaigns, some have contributed to fuelling vaccine hesitancy among their communities. For example, some Muslim and Christian leaders have used religious arguments to spread disinformation and myths about the vaccines. A discussion among experts at University of KwaZulu-Natal highlighted that some governments have not done enough to establish meaningful partnership with community leaders, including religious leaders, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In Uganda, the Catholic Sisters COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassadors Campaign was launched by the Association of Religious in Uganda in November 2021 to counter disinformation and conspiracy theories about the vaccines. It used different media, including radio, leaflets, and in-person meetings. The sisters were trained by the Ugandan Ministry of Health, and the initiative took advantage of the trust that they enjoy among community members. "We are now dealing with the school-going children so that they also receive the vaccines and agree to get vaccinated," said Sr. Mary Lilly Driciru, communications coordinator for the Association of Religious in Uganda.

A new book titled Les Spiritualités en temps de pandémie (Spiritualities in Pandemic Times), edited by the anthropologist Laëtitia Atlani-Duault, collects testimonies by Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist religious leaders in France. Their reflections revolve around how the COVID-19 pandemic has confronted all religious and non-religious individuals with the finitude of the human condition and the fragility of our contemporary society.