Religious leaders hold profound influence, shaping moral and health-related decisions. In this instance, their role as stewards of discernment may have faltered, as they relied on incomplete or misleading information. Questions arising across congregations now are: Were they too quick to endorse the novel injections without rigorous scrutiny? Did they overlook dissenting expert voices or alternative approaches to health?

For some religious communities, concerns over the ethical implications of COVID vaccine development were particularly profound. Biotechnologies like COVID-19 ‘vaccines’ rely on cell lines derived from aborted fetal tissue during development or testing. While these cell lines date back decades, their use raises significant ethical and theological concerns for many believers, including:

1. Sanctity of Life: Religious teachings often uphold the sanctity of life from conception. For many Christians, the association of vaccine production with abortion—even indirectly—creates a moral dilemma, as they oppose benefiting from actions they consider intrinsically wrong.

2. Halal Considerations: In Islam, the use of materials derived from prohibited (haram) sources, such as aborted fetal cells, is deeply troubling. This concern is tied to the faith’s emphasis on consuming and using permissible (halal) products. While many scholars ruled vaccines as permissible under the principle of necessity, lingering ethical concerns remained.

3. ⁠⁠Moral Complicity: The principle of moral complicity weighs heavily in religious ethics. Even if the abortion occurred decades ago, using its outcomes in scientific research could be seen as an endorsement of that act, creating a spiritual conflict for those opposed to abortion.

4. ⁠Informed Consent: Many faith leaders did not adequately explain the origin of these cell lines to their congregations. This lack of transparency has compounded mistrust, leaving many feeling that they were coerced into decisions that violated their conscience.

5. ⁠Use of religious teaching to persuade congregations to get vaccinated

Across faiths, efforts to reduce ‘vaccine hesitancy’ were made in collaboration with health authorities, often with premises of worship doubling as vaccination centres.

To persuade their congregations, Islamic scholars and faith leaders were encouraged to cite verses from the Quran that emphasise the sanctity of life and the importance of protecting oneself and others. For instance, the verse: "And whoever saves one life, it is as if they have saved all of mankind" (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:32). This verse could be used to frame vaccination as not only permissible but as a religious duty to preserve life and prevent harm, resonating deeply with Islamic teachings about communal responsibility.

Similarly, to encourage the Jewish community to get vaccinated, influential Jewish leaders like Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis emphasised that getting vaccinated is a "religious imperative” .

Christian leaders also leveraged religious teachings to promote the experimental COVID-19 vaccinations. For example, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, aligned his pro-vaccine message with Jesus’ teaching to “love your neighbour.” He publicly urged people to “get vaccinated, get boosted,” presenting it as an act of love and responsibility towards others. This approach, appealing to the Christian principle of selflessness and care for the wider community, using peoples’ faith to encourage adherence to public health measures while framing them as moral imperatives in line with scripture, is deeply regrettable.

A call for faith leaders to rectify their mistakes

Personally, it really upsets me how peoples’ faith has been exploited for political and other motives. I have previous shared my disappointment with leaders of the Christian Church. But all faith communities, not only Christian ones, are now facing the very real implications of their leaders endorsements, with many members ill or bereaved. Faith leaders must now prioritise transparent dialogue, apologise where necessary, and promise they will never endorse government policy or any drugs again.

This reflection isn't about blame but about ensuring future crises, which we know are coming, are met with wisdom and courage. I hope, through the COVID experience, that faith communities will emerge committed to the truth so that together we can co-create a better world for all people.

Dr Tess Lawrie