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.

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Submissions from 2020

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Are COVID-19 Restrictions Inflaming Religious Tensions?, Geneive Abdo and Anna L. Jacobs

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COVID-19 Guidance for Faith-Based Institutions, Nathan A. Adams IV

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Religion During and After Coronavirus: Individualism or inclusive solidarity?, Frank Adloff and Berkley Center-Georgetown University

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COVID-19 and Islamic Burial Laws: Safeguarding dignity of the dead, Ahmed Al-Dawoody and Oran Finegan

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One German Church Service Resulted in More than 100 Coronavirus Infections, Zeeshan Aleem

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As States Crack Down on Gatherings, Some Religious Exemptions Could Keep Pews Full, Liz Alesse

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Amid Coronavirus, Governor Whitmer Must Close Dangerous House of Worship Loophole, American Atheists

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Americans United For Separation of Church and State Letter to Governor Whitmer, Americans United

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Are Churches and Other Houses of Worship Offering Services? What are the Social Distancing Requirements?, America: State of New Jersey

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After a Few Lawsuits and Defiant Services, More Chicago-Area Houses of Worship Gradually Reopening After Months of COVID-19 Shutdown, Javonte Anderson

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Ohio Churches, Houses of Worship Begin to Reopen After Trump Declared Them Essential Services, Natasha Anderson

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A Joint Statement: Gender, faith, and COVID-19, Anglican Communion, ACT Alliance, Islamic Relief Worldwide, World Council of Churches, Side By Side, act, The Girls Brigade, We Will Speak Out, Christian Aid, United Society Partners in the Gospel, DCA, and Presbyterian Women Aotearoa New Zealand

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Anglican Communion Calls for COVID-19 Responses to Tackle Gender Inequalities, Anglican Communion and Episcopal News Service

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Fresno Church to Remain Open Despite Governor Orders to Shut Down Indoor Services, Bryant-Jon Anteola

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Special Report: COVID-19 impacts Chinese Buddhism, state control, and soft power, Yoshiko Ashiwa, David L. Wank, and Religion & Diplomacy

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Coronavirus Outbreak Linked To West Virginia Church Grows To Over 40 Cases, Associated Press and KDKA CBS Pittsburg

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Court Upholds California Ban on Church Services in Coronavirus Pandemic, Associated Press and The Los Angeles Times

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Court Blocks Kentucky Governor's Ban on Mass Church Gatherings, Rashaan Ayesh

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After Rural Church Files Federal Lawsuit, ‘Free Exercise of Religion’ is a Permitted Essential Activity Under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Modified Stay-At-Home Order, Antonia Ayres-Brown

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Revised Guidance for Places of Worship, Back on Track Indiana- State of Indiana

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Aftermath and Flourishing? The Role of Religion in a Post-Pandemic Public Square, Chris Baker and Berkley Center-Georgetown University

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NY’s Reopening Plan Must Include Religious Services (Your Letters), Cheryl Baldwin and Syracuse News

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Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia bars international pilgrims for Hajj, BBC News

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Berkley Center-Content related to economics, Berkley Center-Georgetown University

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Religion and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Social welfare, Berkley Center-Georgetown University

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South Korean City Sues Religious Sect for Mass Covid-19 Infections, Bernama

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Be Safe. Places of Worship, Be Safe Chicago- City of Chicago

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For Most Churchgoers, Controversy Between Religious Freedom and Public Health is Not Real, Kraig Beyerlein and David Nirenberg

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Harder to Find Hope as Clergy get Latest SC COVID-19 Data and Projections, Brad Bloom

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Boca Raton Community Mikvah: Mikvah form, Boca Raton Community Mikvah

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Principles for Effective Sacred Public Partnerships During COVID-19, Chelsea Langston Bombino and Berkley Center-Georgetown University

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COVID Christmas: Packed church wait-lists, live-streamed services and increased giving, Michelle Boorstein and The Washington Post

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Why the Supreme Court Cited the Doctrine and Covenants in this Week’s Key Religious Liberty Decision, Hal Boyd

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Religious Freedom Clashes With Public Health Enforcers, Elizabeth Nolan Brown

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Jewish Law During a Pandemic: The 35 Responsa of Rabbi Hershel Schachter Issued Due to COVID-19, Michael J. Broyde and Berkley Center-Georgetown University

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Jain Monk’s Welcome Sparks Covid-19 Scare, Brut.

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The Hajj in Times of Epidemics, Marjo Buitelaar

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Iowa Religious Leaders Express Concern Over Restarting Church Services, Mike Bunge

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The Great Shutdown 2020: What churches, mosques and temples are doing to fight the spread of coronavirus, Daniel Burke

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Churches Sue Whitmer, Claim Coronavirus Orders Hinder Religious Gatherings Despite Exceptions, Gus Burns

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Boko Haram's Shekau Labels Anti-COVID-19 Measures an Attack on Islam in Nigeria, John Campbell

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Indiana Funeral Homes Making Restrictions to Protect Employees and Loved Ones During COVID-19 Pandemic, Aaron Cantrell

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More than 12,000 Catholic Churches in the U.S. Applied for PPP Loans – And 9,000 got them, Christina Capatide

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Group Plans To Sue, Saying If Malls Are Allowed Open, Churches Should Be Too, CBS Minnesota

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Checklist for Communities of Faith, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Community and Faith-Based Organizations: Plan, prepare, and respond, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Considerations for Events and Gatherings, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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FAQs for Administrators and Leaders at Community- and Faith-Based Organizations, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Funeral Guidance, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Interim Guidance for Communities of Faith, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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CDC Quickly Changed Its Guidance on Limiting Choirs at Religious Services, Bill Chappell

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Saudi’s Hajj Cancellation for Covid-19 is Not the First Time a Plague has Disrupted Muslims’ Pilgrimage, Ken Chitwood and Quartz Africa

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Rev. Al Sharpton Urges Black Faith Leaders To Forgo In-Person Holy Week Services, Tanya A. Christian

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Activists and Pastors Sue Texas Governor over Stay-at-home Order, Justine Coleman

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Churches Were Eager to Reopen. Now They Are Confronting Coronavirus Cases., Kate Conger, Jack Healy, and Lucy Tompkins

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Protocol for Places of Worship: Appendix F, County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health

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Coronavirus Illinois Stay-at-Home Order for May: Mask requirement, religious service changes and more, Julian Crews

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COVID-19 and the Constitution: How the Bill of Rights Is being tested by the Coronavirus, John Curran, Jake Gardener, and Jeffrey Ding

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It Won’t Be That Hard to Get People to Accept the Mark of the Beast, David W. Daniels

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No, the Mosques Aren't Open: A deliberate campaign of anti-Muslim smears and misinformation is gathering pace, Gregory Davis

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Coronavirus Panic Over 'Big Tent Revival' Religious Gatherings, Eric DeGrechie

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Indoor Religious Services Once Again Prohibited in Berkeley Because of Rise in COVID-19 Cases, Francis Dinkelspiel

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After Lobbying, Catholic Church Won $1.4 Billion in Coronavirus Aid, Reese Dunklin and Michael Rezendes,

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Responses to COVID19 in Buddhist Communities of Contemporary China-Preliminary findings, Daigengna Duoer and The Jivaka Project

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In Our Opinion: The right to worship should never be cast aside in a pandemic, Editorial Board

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The Kano COVID-19 Deaths: Forced relocations and disinformation creates widespread confusion (Part II), Nwachukwu Egbunike and Global Voices

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The Kano COVID-19 Deaths: Stories untold (Part I), Nwachukwu Egbunike and Global Voices

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British Muslims Held for Two Months in India Claim Religious Persecution, Hannah Ellis-Petersen and The Guardian

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Love Your Neighbour: Islam, Judaism and Christianity come together over COVID-19, Mohamed Elsanousi, Burton L. Visotzky, Bob Roberts, and World Economic Forum

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Coronavirus and Sharia Law: Divide over closure of mosques and ban of Friday prayers in Idlib, Enab Baladi

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Coronavirus: Muslim Council urges people to avoid communal Eid celebrations, Harry Farley

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Coronavirus: Places of worship to reopen for private prayer, Harry Farley

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CDC Quietly Revises Coronavirus Warnings on Reopening Religious Sites, Adds First Amendment Note, WIll Feuer

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COVID-19: First Liberty's Response, First Liberty

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Iowa Religious Leaders Call on Churches to Avoid Gatherings Despite State Loosening Rules on Services, Charles Flesher

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WMU Researchers Creating National Database of Religious Response to COVID-19, Erin Flynn

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Trump Declares Houses of Worship ‘Essential,’ Pressuring Governors to let Them Reopen: The president’s order could set off a constitutional clash over one of the core tenets of the First Amendment, Quint Forgey, Rachel Roubein, and Myah Ward

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God Will Protect Me.’ Here’s how Religious Americans View the Coronavirus Pandemic, Haley Fowler

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Coronavirus vs. Freedom of Religion: Can stay-at-home orders keep you from church?, Hayley Fowler

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Coronavirus Brought Me Back to Reporting on Religion, Lily Fowler

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Blamed For Coronavirus Outbreak, Muslims In India Come Under Attack, Lauren Frayer

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The Pandemic and the Global Future of Religion, Paul Freston and Religion & Diplomacy

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Trump Calls for Memorial Day Church Reopenings but Sends Mixed Signals on Enforcement, John Fritze

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Trump Brings Religion Into the Coronavirus Culture War: Religious services shouldn’t be exempted from state pandemic regulations, David Frum

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Black Pastors Say They Have Trouble Accessing SBA Loan Program, Tom Gjelten

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Many Houses Of Worship Have Sought Government Aid, Surveys Show, Tom Gjelten

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NIH Director Tells Churches To Do The 'Altruistic, Loving Thing' And Stay Closed, Tom Gjelten

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As Quebec Nuns Die of COVID-19, Government Vows to Help, Francois Gloutnay

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Minneapolis to Allow Broadcast of Muslim Call to Prayer Over Loudspeakers During Ramadan, Anthony Gockowski

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Covid-19: UN urges unity and service on Buddhist feast of Vesakh, Robin Gomes

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The Right to Worship: Church and state clash over religious services in the coronavirus era, Laura Hancock

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What Islamists Are Doing and Saying on COVID-19 Crisis, Andrew Hanna

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Sheboygan County Outbreak Highlights Risks Of Reopening Church During Pandemic, Megan Hart

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Buddhist Advisor Sues to Stop Execution Citing COVID-19 Risk, Danielle Haynes

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WMU Team Creates National Database to Document How Religious Groups are Handling COVID-19, Tarvarious Haywood

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Religious Leaders Must Not Be Tempted to Jump on the Reopening Bandwagon, H A. Hellyer

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Illinois Churches, Places Of Worship Allowed To Resume Services After Pritzker Backs Down, Alex V. Hernandez

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A ‘Breakdown of Trust’: Pandemic Corrodes Church-State Ties in Russia, Andrew Higgins

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Watch: Social distancing norms flouted as crowd welcomes Jain monk in MP, Hindustan Times

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Balancing Religious Freedoms and Public Health Protections During the COVID-19 Pandemic, James G. Hodge Jr., Hanna Reinke, and Claudia Reeves