Why faith matters for health conversations

It’s a newsy week for public health and medicine, with potential changes to the childhood vaccine schedule and a senior health agency official raising alarming doubts about the safety of the COVID vaccine for children — claims public health veterans are calling irresponsible and baseless. Against that backdrop, we sit down with a group of 8 people who care deeply about both health and faith, but who come from opposite sides of our health culture war. We ask how they see this moment, and how we might pull ourselves back from the brink of our division.

How does their spirituality and faith shape the way they understand this moment of rapid change in health and science — from vaccines and global aid to mRNA technology, chronic illness, and scientific expertise itself?

And ultimately, could grace — and a shared sense of faith — be part of rebuilding trust?

Hosts;

Brinda Adhikari

Tom Johnson

Maggie Bartlett

Dr. Mark Abdelmalek

Guests:

1. Jacqueline Capriotti, a mother of two adults with cystic fibrosis, patient rights advocate. She is a health-policy strategist, works on initiatives within the MAHA movement, and was the Director of Chronic Illness Outreach and Healthcare Reform for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign. She is the co-founder of Doctors for America First.

2. Dr. Francis Collins, the former head of the National Institutes of Health during Operation Warp Speed, under three U.S. presidents; co-discovered the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis and led America’s effort to map the human genome; author of The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust.

3. Jennifer Galardi, Senior Policy Analyst for Restoring American Wellness at The Heritage Foundation’s DeVos Center. Her writing has appeared in The Federalist, Epoch Times, Washington Examiner, and The Blaze, and she frequently appears in media to discuss cultural & policy shifts tied to the MAHA movement.

4. Dr. Marc Siegel, Clinical Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone Health, a practicing internist, and the Senior Medical Analyst for Fox News. He is the author of several books, including a brand new one titled: The Miracles Among Us: How God's Grace Plays a Role in Healing.

5. Elizabeth Frost, works with MAHA Ohio and is a co-founder of Independent Force Consulting. Prior to this, Elizabeth was the Ohio State director for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign.

6. Mackenzie Isaac, a Rhodes Scholar pursuing her doctorate in Population Health at Oxford University, where she got her MS in Modeling for Global Health. She earned a master’s degree in Health Education from Teachers College, Columbia Uni. Her work focuses on health equity and community health education in Black and Brown communities.

7. Rev. Wendy Silvers, a Minister, author, and Transformational Life Coach supporting mothers & families; created The Awakened Mother series, founded the Million Mamas Movement, and hosts The Awakened Mother Podcast and Million Mamas Rising radio show. She was invited to be the faith engagement lead for the Kennedy presidential campaign in 2024.

8. Emily Smith, an Assistant Professor at Duke University focusing on children’s global surgery, health-systems strengthening, and global health policy. She has conducted extensive research in Africa, and her work has been featured in TIME, NPR, The Washington Post, and Christianity Today.

Resource: https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/

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