We're live, talking about white evangelicals and vaccine hesitancy.

@joelrainey, Curtis Chang of @redeemingbabel, Elaine Howard Ecklund of @riceRPLP and @robertpjones join us for this conversation. https://wamu.fm/3sfpZoe 

"The folks in my church who are physicians and on the front lines wanted to get ahead of [vaccine hesitancy] by putting themselves on camera," says @joelrainey about a vaccine information session at his church.

"The pathway to ending the pandemic runs through the evangelical church," says Curtis Chang of @redeemingbabel.

"64 percent of Black protestants are intending to get vaccinated...they are more likely than white evangelicals to get vaccinated," says Elaine Howard Ecklund of @RiceRPLP.

Secular public health officials have reached out to Black leaders in churches and that's worked, but that same approach has not been done with white evangelicals," says @robertpjones.

"As a former pastor, if I got up and preached about the vaccine I would get up Monday morning and have emails in my inbox," says Curtis Chang of @redeemingbabel.

You can see those informational videos created by Curtis Chang of @redeemingbabel for christians who are unsure about the vaccine here: https://www.christiansandthevaccine.com/ 

Some really crucial work needs to be done in the scientific community as well. Those committed christians who also work in the scientific community can bridge this gulf, says Elaine Howard Ecklund of @RiceRPLP.

"It needs to be done in a way that respects that underlying fear," says Curtis Chang of @redeemingbabel on how he is dispelling myths for Christians on the vaccine.

"Even those who are not personally religious I think need to do a better job at not being dismissive," says Elaine Howard Ecklund of @RiceRPLP. "Vaccination is a public good."