Noblesville pastor gives out hundreds of COVID-19 vaccine exemptions
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — While the Archdiocese of Indianapolis will not assist parishioners in getting a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine, a minister in Noblesville says he has provided hundreds of exemptions.
“Although some Catholics may personally be opposed to getting vaccinated, a religious exemption based on church teaching is not warranted in this particular situation,” the archdiocese said in a statement on Thursday.
But a Noblesville pastor is getting a lot of attention on Facebook for saying that he’s given out hundreds of religious exemptions for the vaccine. Micah Beckwith is a pastor at Life Church, a Pentecostal church in Noblesville.
“The Lord tells us that every body is made and designed to be the temple of the Holy Spirit, so on that basis, people have been reaching out to me and saying they don’t feel like this is right for our body. This is not an anti-vax thing; this is not an anti-mask thing; this is people wanting to make the decision that they feel is best for their own health,” Beckwith said.
Beckwith ran for public office in 2020, losing the Republican primary for U.S. House Indiana District 5 to Victoria Spartz.
On Wednesday, the pope said getting the vaccine is an act of charity and love and is morally acceptable.