By the thousands, Americans have been seeking religious exemptions in order to circumvent COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but generally, they are doing so without the encouragement of major denominations and prominent religious leaders.
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From the Vatican, Pope Francis has defended vaccines as "the most reasonable solution to the pandemic." The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America declared categorically that its followers would not be offered religious exemptions. Robert Jeffress, the conservative pastor of a Baptist megachurch in Dallas, voiced similar sentiments.
Rabbi Sholom Lipskar of The Shul of Bal Harbour, an Orthodox synagogue in Surfside, Florida, says he tells congregation members that vaccination should be a matter of free choice.
"But I always recommend that they get a medical opinion from a competent professional," he added. "In a serious matter, they should get two concurring medical opinions."
Within the US Catholic Church, there are divisions – even though Pope Francis has been clear in his support for vaccinations. While some bishops have forbidden their priests from assisting in seeking exemptions, other bishops and priests have provided template letters for people claiming conscientious objections from the vaccines on Catholic grounds.
