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15 June 2008 Issue
Vegetarian Summerfest, 6/18-22, Johnston, PA, sponsored by North American Vegetarians Society www.vegetariansummerfest.org.
Taking Action for Animals 7/19-21, Arlington, VA, sponsored by Humane Society of the United States, www.takingactionforanimals.org. (CVA chair Stephen Kaufman, MD will have a presentation on Sunday, July 20.)
Every Creature a Word of God
By Annika Spalde & Pelle Strindlund
160 pp., $18 postpaid (check to Vegetarian Advocates Press, PO Box 201791, Cleveland, OH 44120)
What does a spirituality that affirms God’s love for all creatures look like? Although there are many books on animal rights philosophy and theology, none has focused on Christian spirituality as the basis for an ethic of compassion for animals. Borrowing from a breadth of sources, including the Bible and Christian monks, mystics, sages, and saints, Annika Spalde and Pelle Strindlund have written a unique and compelling book. Christian authorities often emphasize doctrinal orthodoxy and obedience, but Spalde and Strindlund appeal to the many lay Christians who have a sense that God’s compassion is the core Christian message. However, Spalde and Strindlund show that many Christians so far have not applied this principal to nonhuman creation.
Perhaps the book’s most compelling argument resides in Spalde’s and Strindlund’s personal testimonies. They have been animal activists in a complete sense, frequently exchanging imprisonment for an opportunity to inform the public about the tragic plight of animals on modern factory farms. On several occasions, they and their companions have openly liberated animals — raiding factory farms and transferring animals to safe homes — and then accepting the legal consequences of what the law regards as theft. Their nonviolent actions, inspired by the nonviolent activism of Mohandas Gandhi in India, has resulted in their being physically and psychologically abused, but they believe that their own plight has been mild compared to the miserable lives of animals confined their entire lives on factory farms..
This book will inform, inspire, and challenge a broad range of readers, from those dedicated to animal protectionism to those who have not yet made the connection between “loving animals” and choosing not to eat them. On behalf of Vegetarian Advocates Press, I respectfully request that your publication will review this unique and important book.
Praise for this book:
“Gracefully combining balanced scholarship with personal witness, animal activists Annika Spalde and Pelle Strindlund have written a book that will enable Christians of all denominations to rediscover the powerful tradition of creaturely compassion that runs throughout their religious history.”
-- Reverend Gary Kowalski, author of The Souls of Animals and The Bible According to Noah: Theology as if Animals Mattered
“Many books about animals, diet, and Christianity have been written for a general audience, but this one is now the best. The authors mix personal stories with Biblical insight and passionate argument to produce a book that is as creative as it is earnest and focused. This book is beautifully written and carefully argued. It would be the perfect book for a Bible study or church study group. Warning: it is an enjoyable read, but it might change your life.”
-- Stephen H. Webb, Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Wabash College, author of Good Eating and On God and Dogs: A Christian Theology of Compassion for Animals
“In Every Creature a Word of God, Spalde and Strindlund have produced a remarkable volume on the appropriate Christian attitudes to the other animals with whom we share this planet. The book reflects wide learning in theology and the human-animal relationship; yet it remains entirely accessible to those interested in the subject matter but who lack the breadth of learning of the authors. I have no doubt this volume will prove to be extremely popular not only with Christians seeking a deeper understanding of the moral and scriptural implications of their own faith but also with those of more secular bent who want to understand the historical and ethical implications of Christianity toward animals.”
-- Rod Preece, Professor Emeritus, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada, author of Animal Welfare and Human Values and Animals and Nature: Cultural Myths, Cultural Realities.
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