The pandemic was brutal on churches, but even the year before, the number of Protestant congregations in the U.S. had gone backward by approximately 1,500. The Southern Baptist Convention lost more than 1,000 churches in 2020, 2021 and 2022 each. Although the 2024 ACP survey also reported a loss, it was a significantly lower figure at 292.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As 2021 comes to a close, everyone is looking toward 2022. The news cycle over the last two years has been dominated by COVID-19, and that doesn’t seem to be subsiding given the rash of recent omicron infections. The Catholic world, meanwhile, had in 2021 one of its busiest years. Expect 2022 to be just as busy.
Read MoreCDC guidelines and relaxed regulations have allowed many houses of worship in the U.S. to return to in-person worship. But these churches will maintain a virtual presence even after the pandemic is over, from a hybrid church to a developer creating virtual reality church buildings.
Read More(OPINION) Since the COVID-19 pandemic, searches have increased greatly for prayer. How does faith — and disbelief — play into the fears of people?
Read MoreWorldwide, more than 2.6 million deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. Christians are reflecting on the loss of their family members and loved ones to the virus. “This is an opportunity for the church to mourn with those who mourn. And there are a lot of people mourning,” said one pastor in Ohio.
Read MoreIt’s clear, thanks to COVID-19, that the church is not a building. In a post-pandemic world, some ask: Why have a building at all?
A majority of Christians view the coronavirus shots as an answer to prayer, a survey conducted by The Christian Chronicle finds. Nationwide, roughly three-quarters of 200 members of Churches of Christ who responded to the survey said they intend to get vaccinated or already have.
Read MoreA second wave of COVID-19 infections is leaving a trail of deaths and despair in many African countries with little relief in sight. Many governments have once again banned religious gatherings and religious ceremonies at funerals. Still, faith leaders have remained front and center in both spreading awareness of COVID-19 safety, cooperating with lockdown rules, helping people remain hopeful and increasing trust in vaccines expected to arrive later this year.
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