PLAYLIST:

Religious Transformation

Protest home communion supplies. Photo by Jenny Wiley Legath.
The clips in this playlist offer examples of how religious communities created new rituals, transformed traditional rituals, or otherwise adapted their practices to the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. A hospital chaplain offers a blessing for the washing of hands. An Orthodox Jewish man recites a familiar children’s book to the traditional melody of Torah chanting. A woman participates in an online Buddhist community while the sounds of New Yorkers celebrating first responders can be heard in the background. Cars honk “Amen” at a drive-in church service or neighbors clang pots and pans from their doorsteps to signal their physical co-presence even across social distance. Communities reflect on the opportunities and challenges of gathering together online. Each of these examples offers opportunities to consider how religious practice changed during the time of COVID – and which of these changes may endure beyond this time.

– Isaac Weiner
Church blood drive

A commercial celebrates a church’s new blood drive program, which began in order to address a nationwide shortage of blood during the pandemic.



Contributor: Skylar Berlin
Date: 03/28/2020

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Global Unity Transmission Meditation

During a meditation session created specifically in response to the pandemic, a woman speaks about reconnecting in tragedy and emerging into the knowledge that everything is as it should be.



Contributor: Skylar Berlin
Date: 04/04/2020

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Christian clown ministry updates

A Christian man dressed as the clown “Whistles” discusses what he and other members of his clown ministry, Clowns Serving Christ, are doing in response to the pandemic, as well as their new modes of outreach.


Contributor: Dan Carey
Date: 03/25/2020

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Promotion for healing drum circle

A woman sings about the healing power of the drum, extols the physiological and spiritual benefits of drum circles, and invites listeners to join her online.


Contributor: Lauren Pond
Date: 05/06/2021

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Lent video journal

In a video journal posted to his Facebook page, Iggy Garcia counts the days that he’s abstained from eating meat during Lent and makes a smoothie.



Contributor: Lauren Pond
Date: 05/06/2021

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Buddhist chant and celebration of first responders

A woman participates in online Zen Buddhist chanting while the sounds of people celebrating first responders are audible outside of her New York City apartment window.


Contributor: Elizabeth Kineke
Date: 04/13/2020

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Drive-in Easter worship service

A Christian man offers a prayer over the radio during a drive-in Easter service in a church parking lot, and congregants honk their car horns “Amen” in response.


Contributor: Kimberley Pingatore
Date: 04/12/2020

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Christian blessing of the hands

A Christian hospital chaplain offers a blessing and invites listeners to participate in a ritual washing of the hands, in lieu of the traditional Maundy Thursday ritual washing of the feet.



Contributor: Megan J. Pike
Date: 04/08/2020

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Jewish Goodnight Moon leyning

In a tweet that went viral, a Jewish man recites the children’s story “Goodnight Moon” in the traditional cantillation style of Torah reading.


Contributor: Rachel Gross
Date: 04/21/2020

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Protestant home communion

A mother and her two children follow a live-streamed Communion and conduct their own Communion at home.



Contributor: Jenny Wiley Legath
Date: 05/03/2020

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Online Jewish Shabbat service

During a virtual Jewish Shabbat service, a woman sings the opening lines of the morning blessings in Hebrew and various participants unmute, one at a time, to offer English blessings of their own.


Contributor: Ashley Ramos
Date: 04/25/2020

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Easter clanging of pots and pans

People celebrate Easter morning outside with their neighbors at a safe social distance by clanging pots and pans.



Contributor: Christopher D. Cantwell
Date: 04/12/2020

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Online Wiccan Lughnasadh

Wiccan priest Brian Edwards concludes a virtual Lughnasadh ritual as members of his coven discuss their experiences and the new technology needed to improve online audio quality for participants.


Contributor: Lauren Pond
Date: 08/01/2020

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