"Unvaxxed and uninvited: Christians whose communities worshipped without them during a pandemic”

Abstract

“Unvaxxed and Uninvited” is a social constructivist phenomenological study that describes the experiences of six unvaccinated Christians who could not attend worship during the Coronavirus pandemic due to their vaccination status. Themes emerging from participant interviews are presented in three experiential spectrums: from suffering to forgiveness, from fear to hope, and from isolation to community. Pastoral implications of this study rooted in the mystical image of “Divine Mercy” suggest that further exploration of issues such as clericalism, technology use and communication strategies may be helpful in overcoming church division.