Many faith leaders wary of religious exemptions for vaccine
By DAVID CRARY and PETER SMITH
Associated Press
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. From the Vatican, Pope Francis has defended the 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. And Robert Jeffress, the conservative pastor of a Baptist megachurch in Dallas, voiced similar sentiments. He says he has refused exemption requests from the handful of his congregation members who made requests.
