Do you believe in medical miracles? The timely subject of religion and COVID-19 vaccines
Weekend Plug-in 🔌
Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com.
(ANALYSIS) After sticking close to home for over a year, I’ve returned to in-person worship at my church in Oklahoma.
I’ve joined my sons and 2-year-old grandson in watching a game at my beloved Texas Rangers’ splashy new ballpark.
I’ve boarded an airplane and — for the first time since the pandemic hit — made a reporting trip (to Minneapolis this past weekend after Derek Chauvin’s conviction in George Floyd’s murder).
For millions, the COVID-19 vaccines have brought joy and hope, and I count myself among them after receiving my two Moderna shots.
Weekend Plug-in has covered various angles related to the vaccines and religion — from whether the shots are “morally compromised” to efforts to overcome skepticism among wary African Americans.
A health care worker fills a syringe with the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer. Photo by Whitney Bryan, Oklahoma Watch.
Still, the topic remains timely and important, as evidenced by interesting stories published just this past week:
• COVID-19 has hit the Amish community hard. Still, vaccines are a tough sell (by Anna Huntsman, NPR)
• Francis Collins urges evangelicals: ‘Love your neighbor,’ get COVID-19 vaccine (by Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
• At Orange County mosques, they come for the halal tacos and stay for the vaccination (by Alejandra Molina, RNS)
• Churches, Christian universities hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinics (by Chellie Ison, Christian Chronicle)
• For evangelical leader Jamie Aten, advocating for vaccines led to a death threat (by Bob Smietana, RNS)
Also, in case you missed it last week, Ryan Burge offers fascinating analysis here at ReligionUnplugged.com on data showing White evangelicals and Catholics are more likely to get the vaccine than religious “nones” and the general public.
Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads
1. ‘If you have eyes, plagiarize’: When borrowing a sermon goes too far: “Just a bonkers story from Bob Smietana,” tweets Smietana’s Religion News Service colleague Jack Jenkins.
To which I respond:
1. Yes.
2. What Smietana story isn’t bonkers (be it an end-times cat cult or a beloved worship song’s role in spiritual abuse)?
But definitely, don’t miss this latest crazy piece by Smietana or his related report on “Why some preachers rely on holy ghostwriters and other pulpit helps.”
Also, Smietana — who presumably never sleeps — writes this week about how “The beloved church coffee hour may soon return as COVID-19 fades.”
2. U.S. Catholic bishops may press Biden to stop taking Communion: “When U.S. Catholic bishops hold their next national meeting in June, they’ll be deciding whether to send a tougher-than-ever message to President Joe Biden and other Catholic politicians: Don’t receive Communion if you persist in public advocacy of abortion rights,” reports The Associated Press’ David Crary.
For additional insight, see Washington Post religion writer Michelle Boorstein’s story.
And for historical perspective, look to former St. Louis Post-Dispatch Godbeat pro Tim Townsend.
3. Welcome to 'Zoombombing:' Antisemitic incidents at historic highs, despite COVID lockdown: “With many Jewish institutions using Zoom and videoconferences to hold events (during 2020), there was a large number of reported antisemitic ‘Zoombombing,’ in which antisemitics would intentionally disrupt the Jewish meetings with hateful speech,” notes Deena Yellin, who covers religion, faith and values for NorthJersey.com.
The Associated Press’ Michael Kunzelman provides more details, based on an annual report by the Anti-Defamation League.
Zoombombing, of course, hasn’t been limited to synagogues. Online trolls also have attacked mosques and churches, including racist attacks on predominantly black congregations.
More Top Reads
• In Poway and Pittsburgh, mayors join fight against hate after synagogue attacks (analysis by Manya Brachear Pashman, Religion News Service)
• A Biden judge would be the first-ever Muslim on the federal bench, but some Muslims are furious (by Aymann Ismail, Slate)
• California wants charities to share donor data. In a time of cancel culture, does that put people at risk? (by Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
• After 75 years of marriage, Florida husband and wife still devoted to each other — and their faith (by Deana Nall, Christian Chronicle)
• Megachurch employee who allegedly solicited nude photos from minor will not be charged, church says (by Aldo Toledo, San Jose Mercury News)
• Prominent Georgia church leaves United Methodist Church over pastor’s reassignment (by Emily McFarlan Miller, RNS)
• Sales of Dave Ramsey’s ‘The Total Money Makeover’ suffer after reports of abusive workplace (by Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today)
• NBA: Kyrie Irving opens up about observing Ramadan while playing (by Liz Rozcher, Yahoo News)
• DNC Chair Jaime Harrison: ‘I’m happy to take the role that the Lord has given me’ (by Jack Jenkins, RNS)
• Crisis chaplains return to Minneapolis after Daunte Wright killing (by Megan Fowler, Christianity Today)
Inside The Godbeat: Behind The Bylines
“You could call the Rev. Louis Johnson the pastor of disaster.”
I love that lede on a story this week by Greg Garrison, longtime religion writer for Birmingham News and AL.com.
Garrison has worked for the Birmingham paper since 1986 and does an outstanding job.
Charging Station: In Case You Missed It
Here is where you can catch up on recent news and opinions from Religion Unplugged.
• An unsung hero from Brooklyn with an ambitious goal to heal America (by Meagan Clark)
• The legacy Of John Stott, the queen's chaplain who represented global evangelicals (by Chris Wright)
• FBI reaches out to Hasidic Jews to fight antisemitism – but bureau has fraught history with Judaism (by Sarah Imhoff)
• A post-Falwell Liberty: A large Christian college returns to its roots (by Jillian Cheney)
• Q&A with Dr. Beth Allison Barr, author of 'The Making of Biblical Womanhood' (by Kenneth E. Frantz)
• Why Christians should not dwell on ‘White Privilege’: An African perspective (by Cyril Zenda)
• Charismatics issue ‘prophetic standards’ to address false Trump prophecies (by Julia Duin)
• In India, Muslims are performing last rites for Hindus who died of COVID-19 (by Zaffar Iqbal)
• Wish for the 'Orthodox Kontakion of fhe Departed' — A hint at Prince Philip's complex faith history (by Terry Mattingly)
• With open talk of schism, will German bishops mar the rest of Pope Francis's reign? (by Richard Ostling)
• Sikh security kit meant to help Gurdwaras prevent violence like the Indianapolis shooting (by Manmeet Sahni)
• First for U.S. Leader: Biden officially acknowledges Armenian genocide (by Lela Gilbert)
• The urgent role of congregations in the post-pandemic world (by Tom Krattenmaker)
• California Christian university president reflects on COVID impacts on religious freedom (by Chelsea Langston Bombino)
• Despite China's vast religious and political repression, 2022 Olympic boycott still unlikely (by Ira Rifkin) (Editor’s note: The byline on this article was incorrect in last week’s Plug-in.)
The Final Plug
Up top, I mention my love for the Texas Rangers (despite their long history of disappointing me).
So, this will come as no surprise: I enjoyed a feature by The Athletic’s Jon Greenberg on how “baseball and religion go hand in hand” for Jon Daniels, the Rangers’ president of baseball operations, and his rabbi brother, Ryan Daniels.
If baseball’s not your sport, try this: WWE wrestler “The Undertaker” talks with CBN News “about his spiritual journey and 'living life for God.'“
Bobby Ross Jr. is a columnist for Religion Unplugged and editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 15 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.