Evangelicals

“Our personal experience and anecdotal evidence shouldn’t automatically outweigh solid statistical research, but it can provide a window into some of the confusion surrounding evangelicals.” - Lifeway

“Conservative pastors and leaders are encouraging the shot while the people in the pews have been more divided.” - C.Today

“So even at least some of the 54% of evangelicals who do intend to get the shot are doing it primarily for themselves, not to stop the spread of the virus to others. As for the 45% who won’t, many of them are looking primarily at the impact on their own health and well-being, rather than that of their neighbors.” - Veith

“From what I can tell, there are legitimate reasons, debatable reasons, bad reasons, and one good reason why many–though not a majority of conservative Christians don’t want to get the shot. But there is also a theological reason that needs to be addressed.” - Veith

“54% of white evangelicals ‘definitely or probably’ plan on getting vaccinated or already have received at least one vaccination shot, the lowest of any religious demographic surveyed.” - C. Post

“We live in a highly individualistic culture. Of all the cultures that have ever existed in the history of the world, this is the most individualistic. Our natural pragmatism asks, ‘What’s the most efficient way to get things done?’ and the local church doesn’t look the most likely vehicle for changing the world.” - Colin Smith

“In all of this, Evangelicals come across to the general public as mean-spirited, hypocritical in their claims to be moral, and insincere in their professed allegiance to Jesus. I’m not saying this is accurate–I think it shows great misunderstanding–but this is the perception.” - Veith

“We are often despised not so much for following Jesus, but for NOT following Jesus, though we say we do. What I’ve heard is accusations that Evangelicals do not really believe what they say they believe.” - Veith

“Our faith itself is not to blame. But evangelicals need to take a hard look at the other influences on our community.” - RNS

“Eric Voegelin’s warnings about the dangers of gnostic politics apply to the right as well as the left. Christians must make a clear and unequivocal distinction between the historic Christian faith and the misleading political religion that is more pervasive on the right than anyone seemed to realize.” - Public Discourse