(Baptist News Global) Throughout the past year of global pandemic, many pastors and faith leaders have appealed to the words of Jesus to argue for social distancing, masking and other precautions against the spread of coronavirus. The appeal to “love your neighbor as yourself” now is employed as a reason for getting vaccinated.
It turns out that four in 10 Americans don’t buy this argument, with white evangelical Protestants being the most resistant.
The group that appears most motivated by the teachings of Jesus in this pandemic moment? Jews, Mormons and adherents to non-Christian religions.
These are among the findings of a large-scale study of American attitudes about religion and COVID-19 vaccination conducted by Public Religion Research Institute and Interfaith Youth Core released April 22.