Dear Eric Metaxas, the Anti-Vax Messaging You Are Spreading Is Harmful. Sincerely, Two Evangelicals.

Your support of unfounded COVID-19 anti-vaccine claims is putting peoples’ health, lives, and faith at risk.

Dear Mr. Metaxas,

Your support of unfounded COVID-19 anti-vaccine claims is dangerous.

Not quite a year ago we warned President Trump’s actions encouraging churches to reopen without proper guidance during the pandemic was dangerous, especially for the Evangelical church. Now, we are writing you out of similar concern for the way you’ve been spreading misinformation and discouraging COVID-19 vaccines.

Our team at the Humanitarian Disaster Institute, the country’s first Evangelical disaster research center, launched our COVID-19 response weeks ahead of the WHO pandemic declaration. More than a year later, our team continues to walk alongside Evangelical churches, equipping leaders with tools, resources, and trainings. Out of this experience we’ve seen the dangers of COVID-19 misinformation first-hand.

Several of our research studies have shown that the pandemic not only negatively impacts peoples’ physical health, but also their spiritual and emotional health. Moreover, a recent study shows that white Evangelicals are less likely to get vaccinated against the pandemic than Black protestants.

Your continued spreading of this sort of misinformation is damaging the Evangelical church’s witness to Christ—and you’re not the only one—other white Evangelicals are also buying into anti-vaccine untruths. Read More