Pandemic Response and Religion in the United States represents an initial archiving of online materials related to religion and the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. Materials are organized by thematic category and can be searched by keywords. This database will encourage further research into religion and pandemic response. We hope that such research will in turn serve to guide policy decisions by religious organizations and governments. It will also serve as a foundation for teaching about religion and health, disaster response, and other key issues at the high school and college levels. This project was made possible by a WMU Meader Presidential Endowment Covid19 Response Grant. The project’s principle investigator (PI) is Dr. Stephen Covell and the co-PI is Dr. Diane Riggs. Data was collected by the following graduate students in the Department of Comparative Religion: Cameron Borg, Gerald Brooks, Jarrett Stalinger and Emily Warren.
Submissions from 2020
PM Modi Says Covid-19 Does Not See Race, Religion, Colour, Caste and Creed, HT Correspondent
Churches, cinemas and the politics of COVID-19, Justin Hughes
Watch: Covid-19 Fueling Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia Worldwide, Human Rights Watch
U.S. Coronavirus Restrictions Create Split Among Religious Liberty Advocates, Lawrence Hurley
U.S. Justice Department Sides with Church in COVID-19 Religious Dispute, Lawrence Hurley
How Religions and Religious Leaders can Help to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic: Indonesia's experience, Hakimul Ikhwan, Vissia Ita Yulianto, and Medical Xpress
Funeral Homes Guidance, Illinois Department of Public Health
COVID-19 Guidance for Funeral Homes and Directors, Indiana State Department of Health
Guidance for Spiritual and Religious Gatherings During COVID-19, Iowa Department of Public Health
Russian Orthodox Church Defrocks Coronavirus-Denying Monk, Vladimir Isachenkov and Time
Thousands Defy COVID-19 Lockdown Norms to Welcome Jain Monks in Madhya Pradesh as State Record 225 Coronavirus Deaths, Janta Ka Reporter
With Coronavirus Infections Linked to Religious Gatherings, Debate Rages Over Worship Amid Pandemic, Jack Jenkins and National Catholic Reporter
Panel Looks at Role Racism, Religion, COVID-19 will Play in Elections, Kurt Jensen and National Catholic Reporter
'It's Carnage': Crematoriums run around the clock to meet demand from Coronavirus, Rick Jervis
North Suburban Mosques Observe Ramadan Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Johnson, Steve Schering, and Chicago Tribune
42 COVID Cases Linked to Christian Youth Camp in Gladwin County, Heather Jordan
Jewish Sleepaway Camp Operators Sue Over Coronavirus Closures, Rick Karlin
Kasi Temple Flint Tempple Re-opening Announcement, Kasi Temple Board of Trustees
DOJ: Mayor de Blasio Favored Protests Over Religious Freedoms During COVID-19 Shutdown, Paula Katinas
DOJ: Mayor de Blasio favored protests over religious freedoms during COVID-19 shutdown, Paula Katinas
4 Reasons Why the Rush to Reopen Churches Goes Beyond Politics, Harmeet Kaur
Religious Leaders Thank Pence for Flexibility to Reopen but Urge Caution, KCRG-TV
Did the Quran Mention COVID-19 Pandemic? Medical and Sanitary Prophylaxis of this Disease, T. Khenenou, S. Laabed, O. Laabed, and Journal of Medical Biomedical and Applied Sciences
The right to worship: Church and state clash over religious services in the coronavirus era, Mansee khurana
Worshipers Heed Gov. JB Pritzker's Plea to Stay Home Easter Sunday, Celebrate Safely Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, Jesse Kirsch
Defying State Closure Mandates, Some Religious Private Schools Fight to Stay Open During Coronavirus Spread, Zoë Kirsch
Supreme Court Won’t Force States To Reopen Churches, Sergei Klebnikov
Tsantsabane Cares: A faith alliance addresses COVID-19 in Tsantsabane Municipality, South Africa, Renier Koegelenberg, Katherine Marshall, and Berkley Center-Georgetown University
Dissecting the Hindu Chauvinism in India's COVID-19 Response, Pranav Kohli and Prannv Dhawan
UP to AP, What’s Stopping India’s Temples and Mosques from Closing Down Due to COVID-19, Pia Krishnankut
Religious Leaders Use Lamont’s Coronavirus Event to Rail Against Racial Injustice, Ben Lambert and Ken Dixon
God and COVID-19, David Lawler
Churches Pause Federal Lawsuit Against Whitmer After Most Recent Order, Beth LeBlanc
Forced Closing of Houses of Worship During the Coronavirus: Both legal and right, Sanford V. Levison, Eric J. Segall, and American Constitution Society
Across Africa, COVID-19 Heightens Tension Between Faith and Science, Amanda Lichtenstein, Rosemary Ajayi, and Nwachukwu Egbunike
Plague and Punishment: When religion sided with science as a lesson for enduring COVID-19, Phillip I. Lieberman, The Conversation, and Milwaukee Independent
Midnight Ruling Exposes Rifts at a Supreme Court Transformed by Trump, Adam Liptak
Split 5 to 4, Supreme Court Rejects Nevada Church’s Challenge to Shutdown Restrictions, Adam Liptak
An Advent Lament in the Pandemic, Michel Luo
Mosques to Remain Closed Until Further Notice, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore)
When the Racist Response to Covid-19 Hits Home, Ricky Manala and America Media
London Coronavirus: Why the city's busiest mosque is still open for prayers, Danielle Manning
President Trump Calls to Reopen Churches: Here's how some worship centers are planning to reopen, Julia Marshall
Beating Coronavirus Requires Faith Leaders to Bridge Gap Between Religion and Science, Katherine Marshall and The Conversation
Answering Your Coronavirus Questions: 100,000 deaths, religion and the future of work, Michel Martin
Promoting Mental Health During and After COVID-19: Tools for faith leaders, Mayor’s Office of ThriveNYC- City of New York
Churches File Lawsuit Accusing Gov. Whitmer of Violating Freedom of Religion, Samantha May
Dancing Between Light and Shadow – Increasing Awareness of the Impact of Covid 19 Disparities on Jews of Color, Yavilah McCoy and Jewish Philanthropy
Jentezen Franklin, Trump Adviser and Prominent Georgia Pastor, Tests Positive for COVID-19, Emily McFarlan Miller
Buddhist Responses to COVID-19 in Japan, Levi McLaughlin and The Jivaka Project
Ahead of Trump Visit, Church Makes Unproven Claim of Virus-Killing Technology, Jennifer Medina and Kenneth Chang
With a Worsening Pandemic, California Bans Singing in Places of Worship, Alexandra Meeks
Federal Court Upholds California Ban on Church Services in COVID-19 Pandemic, Brian Melley and Desert Sun
Court Upholds California Ban on Church Services in Pandemic, Brian Melley and NBS San Diego
Federal Judge Rules that North Carolina Governor’s Coronavirus Restrictions Violate Religious Expression, Katie Mettler, Meryl Kornfield, Miriam Berger, Candance Buckner, Samantha Pell, and Hannah Knowles
Priests Defeated in Lawsuit to Delay Executions During Covid-19, Megan Mineiro
Guidance for Gatherings: Faith-based communities, places of worship, and ceremonies, Minnesota Department of Health
India Hospital Segregates Muslim and Hindu Coronavirus Patients, Parth MN
In Los Angeles, Catholic Schools Plan to Resume In-Person Classes, While Public Schools Go Online, Alejandra Molina
God Doesn’t Want Us to Sacrifice the Old, Russell Moore and The New York Times
Michigan Tightens Time Frame for Handling Body After Death Amid Pandemic, Darcie Moran
California limits church capacity to 25% for reopening, adds other restrictions, Monte Morin
COVID-19 Restricts Africa's Ramadan Routine, Issac Mugabi
Small, Private Colleges Get Boost From Coronavirus Relief Funds, Elissa Nadworny and Diane Adame
Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic, Rev. Sharpton Calls Upon Faith Leaders to Discontinue Services Leading Into Easter, National Action Network
Trump Calls On States To Reopen Places Of Worship Immediately, Brian Naylor
NYPD Cracks Down on Another Large Jewish Funeral in Brooklyn, Stoking Tensions, NBC New York
Muslims Around The World Face A Different Kind Of Ramadan, Scott Neuman
Overarching Guidance for Religious Gatherings/Observances/Worship, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; VEST Unified Command Health Equity Work Group; and Commonwealth of Virginia
A New Dilemma for Trump’s Team: Preventing super-spreader churches, Gabby Orr
'A Dangerous Environment': As churches reopen, outbreaks are sprouting and some are keeping doors shut, Jorge L. Ortiz
'A Dangerous Environment': As churches reopen, outbreaks sprout and some keep doors shut, Jorge L. Ortiz
Coronavirus: 'Religion helped me through lockdown', Manish Pandey
Covid-19 and the Future of Religious Pluralism, Eboo Patel and Robert P. Jones
COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Places of worship and providers of religious services and cultural ceremonies, Kaina Pereira, California Department of Public Health, and Cal/OSHA
Pence Says Lack of Religious Services has been 'Burden', David Pitt and ABC News
Televangelists, Megachurches Tied to Trump Approved for Millions in Pandemic Aid, Chris Prentice
Flouting Social Distancing Guidelines, Crowd in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar Gathers on Street to Welcome Group of Jain Monks, Press Trust of India and First Post
COVID-19 Guidance for Places of Worship and Providers of Religious Services, JB Pritzker and Ngozi O. Ezike
Lockdown: Jain monks seek easing of travel norms for Chaturmas, PTI-The Indian Express
India Coronavirus: Officials suspended over large crowds at Hindu festival, Imran Qureshi
Toward a Religious Ethic of Social Equity Through Maximum Productivity in a Post-Pandemic Era, Carl Raschke and Berkley Center-Georgetown University
COVID-19 Crisis Provides Opportunities and Grace, Thomas Reese
Religious Freedom Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Alan Reinach, Rahmah A. Abdulaleem, Mark Chopko, Richard Foltin, Maggie Garrett, and American Bar Association
US Must Continue to Fund WHO, Religions For Peace USA
Turkey: Attacks on churches spike as some blame Christians for COVID-19, RNS Press Release Distribution Service- Religion News Service
For Churchgoers During the Covid-19 Pandemic, a Deadly Lesson From the 1918 Flu, Kristen Rogers
Ohio now requires masks at religious services in worst COVID counties, Darrel Roland and Cincinnati.com/The Enquirer
In Cambodia, a Spiritual Army Battles an Earthly Pandemic, Jade Sacker
‘Proselytizing Robots’: Inside South Korean church at outbreak’s center, Choe Sang-Hun
Religious Discrimination is Hindering the Covid-19 Response, Sonia Sarkar
Japan vs. Epidemics, Yamamoto Satomi and Japanology Plus- NHK World-Japan
A Virus That Hits All Faiths Tests Religion's Tie to Science, Elana Schor and Mariam Fam
Poll: Most in U.S. back curbing in-person worship amid coronavirus, Elana Schor, Emily Swanson, and The Denver Post
Area Megachurch Holds Sunday Services Despite Coronavirus Concerns, Eric Schwartzberg
Freedom to Worship? Pritzker Adds ‘Free Exercise of Religion’ as ‘Essential’ Activity in New Order — but Not Large Gatherings, Tina Sfondeles
Fiqh Council of North America Covid Statement: Rulings on daily and weekly congregational prayers during Coronavirus pandemic, Zulfiqar Ali Shah