Christians and the Vaccine was a project of Redeeming Babel that demonstrated how we bring clarity to a confusing world. In 2021, the COVID vaccine’s potential for healing our world was threatened by evangelical resistance to the vaccine, a phenomenon we diagnosed as stemming from the combination of anxiety, distrust of institutions, and political polarization.

Christians & the Vaccine was the leading national effort to persuade this community to consider receiving he COVID vaccine. We partnered with the National Association of Evangelicals, COVID Collaborative, the Ad Council, Values Partnerships and Public Square Strategies.

We produced videos to provide Biblically based answers to questions such as:

• Is the COVID vaccine safe (and how can we know)?
• Is vaccination a form of government control?
• Should pro-lifers be pro-vaccine?
• Is the vaccine the “mark of the beast?”

We also developed a Pastor’s Toolkit to equip Christian leaders in shepherding their congregations, and authored several pieces that set the national agenda on key aspects of the issue, such as religious exemptions to vaccine requirements.

Our work was featured in the New York Times, CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox News, Slate, The Gospel Coalition, the Black Christian Network One, Religious New Service, NPR, and other numerous outlets. Researchers at Stanford University and Columbia University conducted research about our impact, showing that we successfully increased evangelicals’ trust in medical institutions.

Our three pronged approach – anxiety, institutions, politics – isn’t just an abstract idea. It has helped to save lives.

In June, 2021, our achievements were recognized when Redeeming Babel’s Executive Director Curtis Chang was invited to testify before the U.S. Senate.

Curtis Chang testifying before the U.S. Senate, June 2021