“Trust in God and trust in the scientists”
29 January 2021
A nurse, professors of health protection and theology and a minister whose church hall is a vaccination hub, speak about the role of faith in supporting the vaccination programme
Following the announcement that over 100,000 people have now died in the UK as a result of Covid-19, in a special edition of the Methodist podcast, four Methodists speak about the vaccination programme.
The podcast looks at the disproportionate impact that Covid-19 has had on people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, the history of racial inequality in healthcare provision and the impact of misinformation around the vaccine.
Grace Penn-Timity, a Methodist nurse who works in Accident and Emergency medicine speaks about the racial inequality that Covid-19 has exposed, the reluctance of some to take up the vaccine and how she urges friends to get vaccinated:
“I talk to my fellow ethnic minority people…you know how difficult it is to lose somebody. To die on your own with no friends or family around, it’s even worse”.
Prof Paul Hunter, a Methodist who is Professor of Health Protection at the University of East Anglia, specialising in outreach response, speaks about the science behind the vaccination and the role of the Church in supporting communities during this time of decision making:
“We need to ensure that all sections of society have access to adequate information and education and support to make the right decision.”
The theology behind caring for our neighbours in prayer and action focuses on a Methodist Church in Wolverhampton that is acting as a vaccination hub with 1000 people coming through the doors each day to be inoculated and we speak to a physicist turned theology Professor on the Christian duty to accept the gift of a vaccine.
The Revd Dr Jo Cox-Darling, Minister of Trinity Methodist Church in Codsall near Wolverhampton, which is a vaccination hub, speaking on the chaplaincy service offered during the vaccination roll out at her church hall:
“We are having conversations with people who have not left their home for a year. We can start to enable those people to be part of a community again.”
The Revd Prof David Wilkinson, Principal of St John’s College, Durham and Methodist minister, reflects on our duty to take the offer of a vaccine:
“For me it’s my discipleship, my love of God that leads me to say ‘this is a gift, I’m going to use it for other people’s benefit’”
Listen to the podcast here
Listen to segments here:
- the Revd Prof David Wilkinson