Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective Response

Throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, religious people and institutions have played a significant role in responding to the challenges that we all have faced. In some instances, religion has been a source of great harm, hindering the global response. Many religious leaders have promoted misinfor...

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Main Author: Jeff Levin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Challenges
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/13/1/12
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author_sort Jeff Levin
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description Throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, religious people and institutions have played a significant role in responding to the challenges that we all have faced. In some instances, religion has been a source of great harm, hindering the global response. Many religious leaders have promoted misinformation and disinformation; others have promulgated messages of hatred and blame, especially hindering efforts to prevent infection and community transmission and to promote immunization. This has occurred throughout the world, across cultures, religions, and nations. In many other instances, however, the faith sector has been a source of great help, ministering to the lives of suffering and fearful people both emotionally and tangibly. People of faith, including clergy and faith-based organizations, have contributed positively to the global response effort by fulfilling the pastoral, ethical, and prophetic roles of religion. Expressions of spirituality, both personal and institutional, have thus contributed to great flourishing in the midst of a terrible public health emergency.
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spelling doaj.art-810c0683c2874a73a2584d5c94e71e992023-11-23T16:02:48ZengMDPI AGChallenges2078-15472022-03-011311210.3390/challe13010012Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective ResponseJeff Levin0Institute for Studies of Religion and Medical Humanities Program, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USAThroughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, religious people and institutions have played a significant role in responding to the challenges that we all have faced. In some instances, religion has been a source of great harm, hindering the global response. Many religious leaders have promoted misinformation and disinformation; others have promulgated messages of hatred and blame, especially hindering efforts to prevent infection and community transmission and to promote immunization. This has occurred throughout the world, across cultures, religions, and nations. In many other instances, however, the faith sector has been a source of great help, ministering to the lives of suffering and fearful people both emotionally and tangibly. People of faith, including clergy and faith-based organizations, have contributed positively to the global response effort by fulfilling the pastoral, ethical, and prophetic roles of religion. Expressions of spirituality, both personal and institutional, have thus contributed to great flourishing in the midst of a terrible public health emergency.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/13/1/12human flourishingpublic healthpreventionCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2spirituality
spellingShingle Jeff Levin
Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective Response
Challenges
human flourishing
public health
prevention
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
spirituality
title Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective Response
title_full Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective Response
title_fullStr Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective Response
title_full_unstemmed Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective Response
title_short Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19: How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective Response
title_sort human flourishing in the era of covid 19 how spirituality and the faith sector help and hinder our collective response
topic human flourishing
public health
prevention
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
spirituality
url https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/13/1/12
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