Should Christians Vaccinate Their Kids? Thinking Biblically About the Vaccine Debate

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Hello, friends! Today’s podcast question asks, “How can we think biblically about the vaccine debate among parents?”

Wow—such a short question, but one that’s absolutely loaded. Vaccines are arguably one of the most controversial parenting topics in the United States today. As I sit down to record this podcast, I feel like I can hear the sound of thousands of virtual pitchforks aimed my way—no matter what I say!

On the Foundation Worldview Podcast, we aim to answer your questions to help you equip the children God has placed in your care to carefully evaluate every idea they encounter and understand the truth of the biblical worldview. I’m your host, Elizabeth Urbanowicz, and today we’re diving into this hot-button issue.

However, let me clarify something upfront: I will not be telling you whether you should vaccinate your children, leave them unvaccinated, or do something in between. Instead, I’ll walk us through how to think biblically about:

1. The presence of disease in the world,
2. The development and purpose of vaccines, and
3. The influence of big pharma companies.

Why Do Vaccines Exist?

To think biblically, we need to ask, “Why do vaccines even exist?” According to Scripture, vaccines exist because disease exists in our world, and Scripture makes it clear why disease exists.

In Genesis 3:17-19, after Adam and Eve rebelled against God, He pronounced the curse upon them and the ground:

“Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you… by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

In this passage, we see that disease and death are part of the curse. Disease is a result of the fall—a form of natural evil. As Christians, we need to recognize that when we debate vaccines, we’re addressing something that ultimately stems from sin’s curse on the world.

The Purpose of Vaccines

We’ve established that vaccines exist because disease exists. But vaccines themselves were created as an effort to preserve human life. The first vaccine was developed in 1796 by Edward Jenner, a British physician. He created the vaccine to protect people from smallpox, which at the time had a mortality rate of over 30%.

Think about that—if you were diagnosed with smallpox, you had a greater than one-third chance of dying. Jenner’s work saved countless lives, and eventually, smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980. Before that, just in the 1900s alone, smallpox had killed over 300 million people.

Caring for Life Is Our Responsibility

Caring for human life aligns with the biblical worldview. Genesis 1:28 tells us:

“And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”

From the very beginning, even before the fall, God gave humans the responsibility to care for the earth and the life within it. So, vaccines—when used to protect life—can be seen as part of fulfilling that responsibility.

The Role of Big Pharma and Sin

Now, while vaccines were initially created to save lives, today many are developed by big pharmaceutical companies. And here’s where things get tricky—because these companies often prioritize profit over human life.

According to Scripture, greed and manipulation are sins, or what we call moral evils. Unlike disease, which is a natural evil resulting from a broken world, greed comes from the human heart.

In Matthew 22:35-40, Jesus summarized God’s law:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

If pharmaceutical companies were truly following this command to love God and others, they wouldn’t engage in practices like bribing officials or misleading the public for profit.

Personal Experience with Vaccines

I’ve personally seen both the benefits and pitfalls of vaccines. When I was a teenager, I went on a month-long mission trip to a country in West Africa. Before going, we researched recommended vaccines. Some of those vaccines protected against diseases that I was highly likely to encounter. So, we decided it was wise for me to get vaccinated, and I was grateful for the protection.

Fast forward a decade. In my early twenties, I started noticing how hard doctors were pushing a particular vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease. I wasn’t sexually active and told my doctors I wouldn’t be unless I got married, yet they kept insisting I get the vaccine. I started to wonder, Why are they pushing this so hard when I’m not at risk?

I did some research and found out that the governor of my state had a financial contract with a big pharma company to promote the vaccine. That was eye-opening. It made me realize that sometimes vaccines aren’t about protecting life—they’re about profits and political agreements.

Government’s Role

Scripture teaches that government is established by God, but it also warns that governments often overstep their boundaries. 1 Peter 2:13-14 says:

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution… to governors as sent by Him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.”

The government’s God-given role is to maintain order and justice. However, when governments start mandating healthcare decisions, like which vaccines parents must give their children, they can easily cross the line. As Christians, regardless of where we stand on vaccines, we should oppose government overreach.

How to Interact with Others Who Disagree

Once parents make decisions about vaccinating their children, tensions can run high with those who’ve made different choices. So how should we handle these differences?

In Philippians 2:3-7, Paul writes:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves… Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”

We are called to love others. This means we should:

1. Ask questions and seek to understand their perspective.
2. Listen carefully without interrupting or dismissing them.
3. Humbly share our opinion only when asked.

Remember, one day when Jesus returns, there will be no more disease, and vaccines will no longer be an issue. Until then, we need to prioritize love and humility in our relationships.

Key Points Recap

To wrap up, here are the biblical principles we discussed today:

1. Disease is a result of the fall; it’s natural evil.
2. Caring for life is part of our God-given responsibility.
3. Human greed and manipulation are sin; they are moral evil.
4. We should oppose government overreach when it exceeds God’s design.
5. We are called to love others by asking, listening, and humbly sharing our perspective.

I know this is a loaded topic, and many of you have strong opinions on it. I hope today’s episode has given you a helpful biblical framework for thinking through vaccines and engaging lovingly with those who may see things differently.

Closing

If you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode, visit FoundationWorldview.com/podcast to submit it. As always, my prayer is that no matter your situation, you would trust that God is working all things together for your good by using all things to conform you more into the image of His Son.

See you next time!