Le Duc - Religious Engagement in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Introduction

The Covid-19 pandemic has presented a particularly urgent need for religions to take an active role in addressing the crisis. Although the pandemic is a time in which religious institutions are as much victims of the crisis as they are agents of addressing the problem, the conditions of the pandemic oftentimes disrupt the ability of religious leaders to engage with their followers and to communicate with one another. When we speak of religious engagement, we are really speaking of three fronts: (1) within the tradition; (2) with secular institutions; and (3) with other religious traditions. Within each individual set of engagement, there are specific issues to focus on. Here, I would like to focus on three matters that religious engagement can help address when it comes the coronavirus pandemic or other similar dilemmas: (1) communicating an interreligious message to religious adherents within and across traditions; (2) communicating truthful, scientifically sound information to the public; and (3) communicating examples of proper behavior to the people.