Series 2: Resource Guide for Religious Leaders and Faith Communities

Ensuring trust, mental health, spiritual guidance, and social support are essential during a pandemic, when people are coping with intensified levels of fear, uncertainty, loss, and anxiety. Based on their trusted position, religious leaders are seen as reliable sources of information in communities. Religious leaders have significant influence over the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of their followers and the wider community. In times of crisis, religious leaders can provide spiritual guidance and support when solidarity, hope and empathy is needed most.

In the context of health outbreaks such as COVID-19, religious leaders also have an important role in tackling stigma and discrimination resulting from misinformation and from targeting specific individuals or groups of people associated with the disease. In order to carry out this important role, religious leaders need to equip themselves with a better understanding of some of the contributing factors and negative effects of misinformation, rumours, fear, hopelessness, stigma, and discrimination.

Read Series 1: Adapting how we gather together, pray and practise rituals

Read Series 3: Helping people who are at risk

View the JLI FPCC page

The FPCC launches first virtual ‘Mind and Heart Dialogue Training‘ series to support faith leaders during COVID-19 in Eastern and Southern Africa.