Member Church News: Vaccine Theology, Support for India

J. Todd Billings, of Western Theological Seminary (Reformed Church in America) writes that, “Vaccine skeptics need a dose of creation theology. Medicine has limits. But as John Calvin knew, it can be an extraordinary gift from God.”

A 145-year-old time capsule, containing ten coins and a rolled-up newspaper, has been discovered in the foundations of a United Reformed Church (United Kingdom) primary school.

The Uniting Church in Australia has sought to highlight concerns about ongoing violence and oppression of the Indigenous peoples of West Papua.

Recognizing the need for interpersonal and intercultural engagement, especially during this season of COVID-19, Calvin University (Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA) professor of history Frans van Liere partnered with Al Amana Centre, a peace center based in Muscat, Oman, to develop an online Scriptural Reasoning course for students.

Many members and partners are responding to the COVID-19 crisis in India, including the Christian Reformed Church in North America, Presbyterian Church (USA), Evangelischen Mission in Solidarität, Evangelische Mission Weltweit, Christian Conference of Asia, and World Council of Churches.

Applauding the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe on Europe Day, Christian Krieger, president of the Conference of European Churches and Jean-Claude Hollerich, president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union issued a joint statement.

_{Image: Isolation ward for corona patients in the southern Indian city of Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu state) courtesy of EMS/CSI.}