Religion, Race, and COVID-19: Confronting White Supremacy in the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gross inequality and dysfunction in society, particularly affecting America's most vulnerable populations, such as people of color and the working poor. This book argues that the pandemic was also a religious one, with religious practice altered in profound ways. Controversies around religious freedom have been re-ignited, and Christian white supremacists have found new ways to propagate racist attacks. Religious leaders, including those in communities of color, saw the virus as an indicator of God's wrath or a divine test.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: New York University Press

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on society, exposing gross inequality and dysfunction. It has particularly affected America's most vulnerable populations, such as people of color and the working poor, who are referred to as "the least of these" in the Bible. This book argues that the pandemic is not just a medical, economic, or social phenomenon but also a religious one. Religious practices have been altered in significant ways, with controversies around religious freedom re-ignited over debates about whether the government can restrict church services. Christian white supremacists have used their White Christian identity to propagate racist attacks during the pandemic.

Some religious leaders, including those in communities of color, have viewed the virus as an indicator of God's wrath or a divine test and have altered their traditional practices to mitigate its spread as a weakening of faith.

Religion, Race, and COVID-19 argues that there is a religious hierarchy in US society that prioritizes those who benefit most from white privilege while putting "the least of these" last. However, these vulnerable populations draw on theological and religious resources to contend with these existential threats. The volume showcases how social transformation occurs when faith is formed and informed during crises, offering compelling insight into the saliency and lasting impact of religiosity within human culture.

Weight: 482g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479810222