A global project to examine the changing role of religion in society during the Covid pandemic has reviewed what happened in five societies – Canada, Germany, Poland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Academics looked at the place of religion in the health services with, for example, disagreements over the ethics of using certain vaccines; the changing relations with governments over closure of places of worship and helping vulnerable, isolated people; and digital innovation as groups communicated with each other online forging new relationships, while online worship and prayer transformed religious practices.
The researchers interpreted their findings within the framework of secularisation and asked whether this process had been accelerated by Covid. Ruth Peacock hosted, with guests:
- Prof Gladys Ganiel, Queen’s University, Belfast
- Prof Solange Lefebvre, University of Montreal, Canada
- Prof Slawomir Mandes, University of Warsaw
- Asst Prof Marta Kolodziejska, University of Warsaw
- Prof Kerstin Radde-Antweiler, University of Bremen, Germany
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