The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full report, CLICK HERE.
I received some lovely news last week: My work on faith-based resistance to the COVID-19 vaccines was recognized by the Society for Features Journalism in its “feature series” category. However, in the midst of my celebrations, it dawned on me that I’ve hardly touched on the topic in the past few months.
Consider this newsletter an attempt to rectify that situation. Here are the latest updates at the intersection of religion and vaccination:
Two former soap opera crew members are suing for religious discrimination
Jim Wahl and Timothy Wahl lost their jobs on the set of “General Hospital” last year after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for religious reasons. Now, they’re suing ABC for wrongful termination and alleging that the company disrespected their religious beliefs, according to Variety.
“This is not the first suit to come from ‘General Hospital’ personnel about the vaccine mandate. In December 2021, cast member Ingo Rademacher also sued after having religious exemptions denied by the network. Rademacher played Jasper “Jax” Jacks on the show for nearly 25 years,” Variety reported.
Last year, as countries nationwide were implementing vaccination requirements, I wrote about the potential for legal disputes. Several health systems, airlines and schools have faced faith-related lawsuits over their policies. A recent Bloomberg Law article notes that employers are faring well in the courts.
A forthcoming vaccine option may appeal to religious objectors
The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, which is already in use outside the United States after receiving the World Health Organization’s stamp of approval, may soon be available to interested Americans. That’s notable since the vaccine, unlike options from Pfizer and Moderna, was developed without the use of “laboratory-grown cell lines descended from fetuses that were aborted decades ago,” The Associated Press reported earlier this month.
To read the full report, CLICK HERE.
