Politics Has Been the Primary Driver of Pandemic Positions for US Church Leaders

Who are the trusted voices you’ve listened to during the pandemic? A recent Pew Research survey found most churchgoers would trust their religious leaders’ advice on getting the COVID vaccine as much as they trust public health officials and more than they trust politicians. Now, the Pew survey also found that religious leaders in most congregations have not advised about the COVID vaccine. One big exception is historically Black churches, where a majority of members say they have been encouraged by their pastors to get vaccinated. Sociologist Scott Thumma, a professor at Hartford International University and co-chair of the Faith Communities Today research project, is studying how churches have been impacted by the pandemic.