Berkley Center

The Zika virus, which reached pandemic levels in 2015 and 2016, has produced gripping headlines around the world, notably because of its link to the serious medical condition microcephaly. Travel advisories have been issued to many Latin American countries, including Brazil, site of the 2016 Olympic Games, and have even been issued for Miami, Florida. Women in several countries have been advised to postpone pregnancy for two years, and even Pope Francis has suggested that the use of contraception may be a "lesser evil" in the face of the outbreak.

This week Berkley Forum explores the faith dimensions of the Zika outbreak. How have local faith communities reacted to the health crisis? How might government and health agencies work through religious networks to spread information about Zika and encourage prevention tactics? What lessons about the role of religion and religious actors in crisis situations could be learned and applied from other epidemics, like the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa?