As the early stages of the pandemic unfolded, daily highlight notes were sent as an update on religiously linked developments. Now sent weekly from the Berkley Center’s email account, these highlights call attention to new developments linked to religious responses and questions. They are drafted each week by the organizers of the Religious Responses to COVID-19 project, a joint collaboration between the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University, the World Faiths Development Dialogue, and the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities.
Click here to sign up for upcoming highlight emails. An archive of past Highlight emails can be found below, dating back to March 18, 2020.
2022
January 2022
January 5 - "COVID-19 Pall of Uncertainty as 2022 Begins"
January 12 - "A Push for Moral Imperatives to Vaccinate"
January 19 - "Deja Vu: Superspreader Festivals and Increasing Prevention Measures"
January 26 - "Restrictions on Gatherings Continue to Pose Challenges"
February 2022
February 2 - "Never-ending COVID-19 Pandemic as Groundhog Day Ad Infinitum"
February 9 - "Fighting for the Vulnerable, Adapting Rituals, and Caring for the Dead"
February 16 - "Tackling Polarization Through Dialogue and Collaboration"
February 23 - "Misinformation in Africa; Declining Church Attendance"
March 2022
2021
December 2021
December 1 - "Governance, Policies, and Religious Authority"
December 8 - "Religion as a Source of Strength During the Pandemic"
December 15 - "Religious Leaders Support Vaccine Acceptance, Religious Exemption Requests Rise"
November 2021
November 3 - "Short-Term Imperatives Include Access and Vaccination; Research Emerging on Longer-Term Implications"
November 10 - "Religion versus Science, Religion with Science"
November 17 - "Sharpening Focus on Inequality and Poverty"
November 24 - "Religion and Conspiracy Theories: It’s Complicated"
October 2021
October 6 - "Religious Exemptions from COVID-19 Vaccines"
October 13 - "Renowned Religious Leaders Support COVID-19 Vaccines but Acrimonious Debates Persist"
October 20 - "Returning to “Normal” (or Not)"
October 27 - "Supportive Faith Actor Engagement - With Noteworthy Exceptions"
September 2021
September 1 - "Wide Diversity of Religious Responses to the Pandemic"
September 8 - "Global Vaccination Uptake, Mandate Arguments, and Calls for Increased Mental Health"
September 15 - "Religious Gatherings with Old and New Challenges"
September 22 - "Places of Worship as Vaccination Sites and Religious Exemptions"
September 29 - "Vaccination: Impact of Religious Approaches for Global Programs"
July 2021
July 7 - "COVID-19 Storms Shift Location; Vaccine Challenges and Religious Freedom Concerns"
July 14 - "Wary Southern Pastors; Interfaith Unity in Singapore; Vaccine Hesitancy in Zimbabwe"
July 21 - "Religious Gatherings; Vaccines; Faith After COVID-19"
July 28 - "COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts Continue to Multiply"
June 2021
June 2 - "COVID-19 Offers Opportunities for Religious Cooperation, But Also Stokes Tensions"
June 9 - "COVID-19 Ravages the Religious Sub-Continent; Evangelicals in the United States"
June 16 - "Masks and Secularism; Vaccine Rates; Nationalism and COVID-19"
June 23 - "Vaccine Equity and Hesitancy; Religious Freedom and COVID-19"
June 30 - "Religious Bodies vs. Governments; Faith vs. the Pandemic"
April 2021
April 7 - "Religious Celebrations and Vaccination Issues Alongside Intersections with Race and Gender"
April 14 - "Religious Engagement on COVID-19 and Global Finance, Celebration Seasons"
April 21 - "COVID-19 and Ramadan; More on Faith Support for COVID-19 Vaccinations"
April 28 - "COVID-19 Surge in India; Mis(Information) from Religious Groups; Changing Faith Practices"
March 2021
March 3 - "Continuing Trends: Vaccine Hesitancy, Court Battles, Burials, Holidays, and Coping with Uncertainty"
March 11 - "Marking One Year of Religious Responses to COVID-19"
March 17 - "One Year On: Unequal Impact, Inequitable Response?"
March 24 - "Addressing Vaccine Concerns, Gendered COVID-19 Responses, and What “Postapocalyptic” Survivors Can Teach Us"
March 31 - "Holidays, Vaccines, and Mental Health"
February 2021
February 3 - "Faith Communities Worldwide Balance Concerns about Rising Cases with Mixed Hopes and Fears about Vaccine Rollouts"
February 10 - "Untangling Religious Influences Among Multiple Economic, Social, Political Forces"
February 17 - "Trending Topics: Vaccination, Government/Religion Relationships, and Religious Events"
February 24 - "Message Alignment and Responses to Gender Violence"
January 2021
January 6 - "The Ethics of COVID: Vaccines, Mortality, and Morality"
January 13 - "Vaccination is Center Stage and Researchers Dig Deeper into Religion and COVID Details"
January 20 - "Vaccines, Burials, and Persecution"
January 27 - "Interfaith Calls for Unity Amid Concerns about Vaccine Equity and Hesitancy"
2020
December 2020
December 2 – "Court Battles and Clergy Roles in Stopping the Spread of COVID-19"
December 9 – "Fierce and Important Debates about Ethics of Vaccines; Working to Organize Religious Actors"
December 16 – "Vaccination Hopes and Worries; Marking Human Rights Day"
November 2020
November 4 – "Tensions Around Reopenings and Cancellations of Festivals; Revival of Gleaning"
November 11 – "Focus on the Philippines, a Maskless Pope, and the United States Election"
November 18 – "Mixed News on Religious Fronts: Focus on Latin America, Refugees"
November 25 – "Religious Coping, Holidays Hampered, and Rituals Shifting in the Continued Fight Against COVID-19"
October 2020
October 7 – "Emerging Research and Vaccination as a Public Good"
October 14 – "Continued Focus on Longer-Term Impact of COVID-19 Emergencies"
October 21 – "Religion on Global Agendas and at Global Policy Tables"
October 28 – "Freedom of Religion or Belief During Coronavirus Outbreaks"
September 2020
September 2 – "Adaptations, Impacts, and Emerging Debates"
September 9 – "Looking Toward Long-Term Impacts of COVID-19"
September 16 – "Pandemic Tests Believers and Religious Institutions"
September 23 – "Messages, Information, and Misinformation"
September 30 – "Clashes and Conflicts"
July 2020
July 1 – "Deep Prejudices Surface During the COVID-19 Crisis"
July 2 – "Poverty, COVID-19, and Charity in Italy"
July 3 – "Refugee Perceptions Through the Lens of Religious Beliefs: Rohingya Camps"
July 4 – "Focusing on the Ultra Poor in the Philippines"
July 5 – "Hindu Perspective on the COVID-19 Emergency"
July 6 – "COVID-19, Soul-searching, and Honest Conversations"
July 7 – "Human Rights, Freedom of Religion or Belief, and COVID-19"
July 8 – "The Religious Responses to COVID-19 Project: Changing Pace"
July 15 – "1st Weekly Highlight"
July 22 – "2nd Weekly Highlight"
July 29 – "3rd Weekly Highlight"
June 2020
June 1 – “Religious Responses to Domestic Abuse During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
June 2 – “COVID-19 in Africa: Puzzles, Positive News, Religious Roles”
June 3 – “Rising Stigma Amid the Pandemic: India’s Muslim Community”
June 4 – “Responses to COVID-19 in Latino Churches”
June 5 – “Adapting and Postponing Life Milestones: COVID-19 and Baptisms”
June 6 – “Turning Tragedy into Hope: Hasidic Jews Donate Lifesaving Plasma”
June 7 – “Geneva Communities Mobilize to Support Those in Need”
June 8 – ““Infodemics”: Bangladesh Illustrates Links Between COVID-19 and Discrimination”
June 9 – “Zambian Nuns with COVID-19 Radio Messages”
June 10 – “COVID-19 Accelerates Losses of Navajo Nation Elders and Traditions”
June 11 – “COVID-19 and Religious Responses in the Sahel”
June 12 – "Vulnerabilities and Risks from COVID-19 in the Amazon Region"
June 13 – "The Vatican, COVID-19, and Religious Freedom"
June 14 – "COVID-19 Lockdowns and Religious Observance: Patterns and Issues in India"
June 15 – "Frontline Christian Sanitation Workers in Pakistan Face Discrimination"
June 16 – "Catholic Schools: COVID-19 Threats and Challenges"
June 17 – "Capturing Wisdom of Religious Leaders: 'Coronaspection'"
June 18 – "Googling “Prayer” During the COVID-19 Crisis"
June 19 – "Juneteenth Edition: Black Churches Confront Compounding Crises"
June 20 – "'To Know in Order to Understand': Faith and World Refugee Day 2020"
June 21 – "HOVID in Reality: Hunger Linked to COVID-19 Emergency and Faith-led Food Banks"
June 22 – "Adapting Practice: African Traditional Religions and COVID-19"
June 23 – "How Stigma Links to COVID-19 in Indonesia"
June 24 – "Guidelines Part II: Reopening After Shutdowns"
June 25 – "Tracking Faith Responses to the COVID-19 Emergency: Where to Next?"
June 26 – "The Hajj 2020 and COVID-19"
June 27 – "COVID-19 Implications on Faith and Preparing for Disaster"
June 28 – "Minorities During the COVID-19 Crisis: The Case of Uganda"
June 29 – "Pope Francis on Mask Debates"
June 30 – "Collaboration Between Government Officials and Muslim Leaders on Mosque Reopening"
May 2020
May 1 – “Ramadan Focuses Debates on How Religious Practices are Affected by the COVID-19 Crisis”
May 2 – “Communicating about COVID-19: Are Religious Beliefs a Significant Factor?”
May 3 – “Bearing Witness: Focus on People with Disabilities”
May 4 – “Let COVID-19 Spur Faith Leaders to Push for Action on the Environment!”
May 5 – “Same Storm, Different Boats: Vatican Task Forces Challenge Notions That Reforms Are Impossible”
May 6 – “Guidance Directed Specifically to Religious Communities and Leaders”
May 7 – “Tensions Between Understandings of Religious Freedom and Public Health Directives and Authority”
May 8 – How Might COVID-19 Affect Muslim Charitable Giving, Especially Zakat, During Ramadan?”
May 9 – “Japan’s Religious Communities React to COVID-19”
May 10 – “Digital Divides, Knowledge, and Empowerment: The COVID-19 Crisis and Black Churches”
May 11 – “COVID-19 and Human Trafficking: Unlikely Alliances”
May 12 – “Catholic Nursing Homes: Faith, Financial Struggles, and the COVID-19 Pandemic”
May 13 – “Masks and Niqabs: Face Coverings and Religious Freedom in France”
May 14 – “Interfaith Youth Mobilize Against COVID-19 in Kenya”
May 15 – “Imams Who Oppose Pakistan’s Coronavirus Orders”
May 16 – “Advocating for People Forced to Move: The Vatican’s Voice”
May 17 – “Follow the Money: When Needs Are Most Acute, Contributions Decline”
May 18 – “COVID-19 and Religious Freedom in Latin America”
May 19 – “Gauging Levels and Directions in How Institutions Inspired by Faith Are Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis”
May 20 – “What Do We Know About Online Religious Practice and How the COVID-19 Crisis Is Reshaping It?”
May 21 – “Faith, Women, and Human Rights: A Global Dialogue”
May 22 – “Religious Art, Plagues, and COVID-19”
May 23 – “Migrants and Refugees Face New Threats and Challenges During COVID-19 Emergency”
May 24 – “COVID-19 Dampens Eid Celebrations Worldwide”
May 25 – “Brazil’s Catholic Bishops Contest Government Policy on COVID-19”
May 26 – “Reopening Debates: When Will Religious Doors Open and Who Decides?”
May 27 – “Basic Ecclesial Communities (CEBs) Respond to the COVID-19 Crisis”
May 28 – “Russia: COVID-19 Causes Rumbles in Orthodox-State Relations”
May 29 – “Episcopal and Catholic Leaders Express Solidarity with Native American Communities Affected by COVID-19”
May 30 – “ Reopening Churches: Risks Versus Benefits”
May 31 – “The COVID-19 Vaccine Challenge: Faith Fears?”
April 2020
April 1 – “Mobilizing to Support Faith Communities in Practical Ways”
April 2 – “The COVID-19 Crisis and Refugees: Urgent and Complex Demands”
April 3 – “Religious leaders defying stay at home advice – the exception, not the rule?”
April 4 – “Disrupted Global Religious Programs”
April 5 – “COVID-19’s Distinctive Impact on Women: Responses from Religious Communities"
April 6 – “COVID-19: Impact on Extremism?”
April 7 – “Palm Sunday in the Era of COVID-19”
April 8 – “Adjusting Beloved Celebrations for Physical Distancing: Passover 2020”
April 9 – “Responding to COVID-19: Repurposing Religious Sites”
April 10 – “Generous Responses in a Refugee Camp to the COVID-19 Crisis”
April 11 – “Creative Partnerships to Mobilize for Child Protection and to Nurture Spiritual Growth During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
April 12 – “Pope Francis Reflects on the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Meaning”
April 13 – “Where COVID-19 Passes By: Senegal’s Holy City of Touba”
April 14 – “Feeding the Hungry: Adapting Sikh Celebrations and Charitable Traditions”
April 15 – “Ugly Reports of Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism Linked to COVID-19 Crisis”
April 16 – “‘HOVID’: Hunger, COVID-19, and Religious Response”
April 17 – “COVID-19 Crisis Highlights Complex Intertwining of Religious and Cultural Factors in Changing Public Health Behavior: The Somali Diaspora in Sweden”
April 18 – “COVID-19 Economic Crisis Challenges To Religious Communities”
April 19 – “COVID-19 In Mount Athos: Adapting Ancient Practices To Modern Realities”
April 20 – “War or Peace: Could COVID-19 Tip the Balance in Afghanistan?”
April 21 – “Tensions Surround COVID-19 Deaths: Obligatory Cremation in Sri Lanka”
April 22 – “COVID-19, Climate Change, and Theology: New Starts or Wine in Old Bottles?”
April 23 – “Preference for the Poor: Responding to the COVID-19 Emergency”
April 24 – “What Impact Will the COVID-19 Crisis Have on Ramadan, and Ramadan on COVID-19 Response?”
April 25 – “COVID-19 and Imperatives for an ‘Emergency Ethics’”
April 26 – “Keeping Community Alive During COVID-19: Baha’i Initiatives”
April 27 – “The Case of the Samaritan’s Purse Hospital in Central Park”
April 28 – “Peace in Venezuela: COVID-19 Emergency and Interreligious Action”
April 29 – “Refugees Caught in the COVID-19 Crisis: Rohingyas in Malaysia”
April 30 – “COVID-19 and Health Services Provided Directly by Religious Entities”
March 2020
March 18 – “Interfaith groups refocusing efforts”
March 19 – “Galvanizing religious responses to COVID-19 crisis: Gatherings”
March 20 – “Engaging national faith communities: South Africa as an example”
March 21 – “Religious gatherings as a focus: Malaysia case”
March 22 – “Religious upheavals as part of COVID-19 ravages? Iran as an early instance”
March 23 – “Inspirational messages from spiritual leaders in troubled times”
March 24 – “Religious gatherings become a central point of uncertainty and tension – to gather or not to gather?”
March 25 – “Religion and development academic speaks out on religion, science, and COVID-19”
March 26 – “Buddhist admonitions to solidarity”
March 27 – “Adapting practices to meet health imperatives: Some rabbis, in planning for Passover, allow for a virtual option because of the coronavirus threat”
March 28 – “Vulnerable children need special attention”
March 29 – “Religious leaders and funeral homes scramble to find caring and dignified ways to implement COVID-19 precautions”
March 30 – “COVID-19 Upends Jerusalem’s Holy Sites”
March 31 – “Misinformation or an “Infodemic”: A Word of Caution”