A new interview series asks vegan vicars to share their insights into the relationship between Christianity and animals. THE six part series asks questions like “How does animal agriculture affect the most vulnerable?” and “Why should Christians challenge industrial agriculture?” »
Daryl Booth, founder of Sarx, the Christian animal charity behind the videos, said Plant News (PBN) that “connecting mainstream Christian culture and animals can sometimes feel like putting a square peg in a round hole.” The “Vegan Vicars” series aims to address this divide and open Christians’ eyes to the foundations of veganism already present in Scripture.
Through interviews, the series explores humanity’s attitude towards animals. Vegan vicars discuss passages from the Bible that have helped them on their journey to veganism. Animals are created by God and therefore deserve “reverence and reverence,” says Reverend Terry Martin. “I think God would cry if he went to a factory farm.”
“Even though the vast majority of Christians love animals and care passionately about their welfare, animals are rarely considered an issue of faith to be addressed in our churches,” Booth said. PBN. “This unique video series aims to bridge this gap between faith and animals. The vegan vicars we interviewed across the UK show how a growing number of Christian leaders have strong religious reasons for embracing veganism.
“A creature cannot praise God on your plate”
Compassion is a recurring theme mentioned by vicars. The Latin root of the word means “to suffer with.” Vegans sympathize with suffering animals and try to speak out to protect them from harm. “Christian concern for animals goes back a long, long way,” notes the Rev. Jane Goodair in the opening episode.
Dr. Goodair discusses animal suffering in relation to the Christian concept of stewardship. Christians believe that humanity has a duty to care for the world and all its life forms. “I don’t see how we can convince ourselves that intensive farming is somehow responsible management,” she says.
Booth said. PBN that Sarx tries to get Christians to “recognize animal issues” as questions of primordial faith“. Christians should not “pass in front of millions of God’s creatures who suffer in the hellish conditions of factory farms.”
The Reverend Canon Dr Paul Overend agrees. “Are we, as human beings, compassionate? he asks. “Are we expressing God’s love, God’s care for his creation? The increase in industrial breeding and always more intensive agricultural practices increased the suffering of animals. They have also distanced us from God, the vicars explain.
“Our fellow human beings were created to praise God,” says the Rev. John Ryder. “A creature cannot praise God on your plate. »
Compassion towards other human beings
It’s not just the animals that suffer directly on farms that we should feel compassion for. Vegan vicars discuss the impacts of animal agriculture on the natural world. Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 16.5 percent of the world’s population tight gas emission. They also highlight the impact of the meat industry on the poorest people on the planet.
Indeed, the climate crisis disproportionately affects the world’s poorest communities. Livestock breeding is therefore a major cause of environmental racism. “Without animal agriculture, we could free up land the size of Africa,” says Reverend Edward Owen. “We would need less than 25 percent to feed the entire world population. »
The vicars also deplore the suffering of the slaughterhouse workers. In the United Kingdom, most slaughterhouse workers are migrants and work in appalling conditions and extremely difficult jobs. “Even if we can’t evolve our conscience toward animals, we should at least have a conscience toward our fellow human beings,” says Rev. Jae Chandler. Slaughterhouse workers “suffer mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually because of our obsession with eating meat.”
Why don’t more people see all this suffering? Meat industry Propaganda is a key element of the story. “All the money spent on advertising making us believe that lambs are happily jumping to the slaughterhouse is just a big lie,” says Reverend Terry Martin.
Should Christians Become Vegan?
The series presents many compelling reasons why Christians should consider transitioning to a vegan lifestyle.
Booth said. PBN: “Living and eating without resorting to animal abuse is a principal quality of God’s original intentions for humanity. » He cites Genesis 1:27, in which God creates humanity in his own image. “In the next verse, humanity is granted dominion,” Booth says. Then, “a peaceful diet is prescribed in 1:29.” In this passage, God proclaims: “I give you every seed-bearing plant on all the face of the earth, and every tree that has fruit and seed. They will be yours for your food.
Additionally, Booth encourages Christians to pay close attention to other passages in the Bible. “Jesus points to the birds and says that they are all embraced by God’s love (Matthew 10:29-31) and uses the metaphor of a mother hen to illustrate God’s love (Luke 13:34). If Jesus has such esteem for such animals, surely God must mourn the appalling suffering animals endure in our food systems.
As more people become aware of the harms of animal agriculture, Christianity must align itself with these true values taught by the Bible, vicars suggest. Some of the Church’s official messages on social justice “disenfranchise large numbers of people who are trying to find a spiritual framework for their lives”, warns Reverend Canon Dr Paul Overend.
On a personal level, the vicars highlight the “inner peace” found after becoming vegan, alongside health And environmental benefits. Since going vegan, “I’m walking the walk and not just talking about God’s care for creation,” says the Rev. Dr. Jane Goodair.
