Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - October 4, 2018
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Original Sin, part 47: On Faith
  2. Activist Feedback
  3. All-Creatures.org Ministry

1. Original Sin, part 47: On Faith

Last week, I noted that the dream of a “beloved community” in which there is no violence and there are no outsiders might be unrealistic. Humans tend to be tribal, and the scapegoating process that has brought people together requires that there be marginalized individuals who are scapegoated for the tensions and traumas that would otherwise tear communities apart.

Jesus had faith in the possibility of communities that welcomed everyone who was willing to love each other. He held that God loves everyone, and therefore we should love each other. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 12:34-36).

Jesus had faith that God loves all creation, and he had faith that we could emulate this love to create loving, nonviolent communities devoid of scapegoating. Paul wrote repeated about pisteos Christou, which many translators, reflecting their theology, have translated as “faith in Christ.” However, as I discuss in my book Guided by the Faith of Christ, there are good reasons to hold that an equally valid translation “faith of Christ” is more what Jesus had in mind. I see adopting the faith of Christ as having faith in God’s love and the capacity of humans to reflect that love.

It is difficult to have such faith, because so much experience militates against it. Consider the United States, where perhaps the most prominent manifestation of the Original Sin of scapegoating was slavery and then segregation. Those who claimed that we had peace in our communities were not seeing, or were refusing to see, the violence that underpinned racial oppression. The United States remains divided by race and ethnicity, as well as class, politics, sexual orientation, and sexual identity. And, we cannot have peace in our hearts and in our communities as long as people continue to abuse nonhumans, which currently occurs on such a massive scale that the human mind cannot fathom it. It takes great faith to believe that people can overcome sentiments that enable violence and scapegoating. I will explore this notion of faith more next week.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

2. Activist Feedback

Rick Hershey writes:

I handed out 400 CVA booklets at the Need to Breathe concert at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City. Security tried unsuccessfully to stop me from leafleting in this public park surrounding the theatre by saying that it is private property.

Upcoming Activist Opportunities

Leafleting and tabling are effective, enjoyable ways to show our brothers and sisters in Christ that a plant-based diet is good for God’s Creation. When you volunteer for the CVA, the CVA now donates $16/hr. for tabling and $25/hr. for up to 3 hours for leafleting to the veg. or animal protection group of your choice. Contact Lorena at lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com if you can help.

10/07/2018 NC, Asheville Laura Story

10/12/2018 LA, New Orleans Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

10/12/2018 PA, Lancaster Laura Story

10/13/2018 TX, Tyler Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

10/13/2018 FL, Miami Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/15/2018 PA, Pittsburgh Elevation Worship - Hallelujah Here Below Fall Tour

10/16/2018 OH, Cincinnati Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/18/2018 MO, Kansas City Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/18/2018 OH, Toledo Elevation Worship - Hallelujah Here Below Fall Tour

10/18/2018 NC, Fayetteville Newsboys United

10/19/2018 OK, Tulsa Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/19/2018 IL, Naperville Francesca Battistelli: The Breakup Tour

10/20/2018 TX, Houston Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/20/2018 IL, Peoria Elevation worship - Hallelujah Here Below Fall Tour

10/23/2018 TX, El Paso Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/24/2018 AZ, Mesa Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/25-27/18 FL, Tampa Love Life Conference with Joyce Meyer

10/26/2018 CA, San Diego Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/26-28-18 MO, Independence Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

10/26/2018 TN, Knoxville Newsboys United Fall 2018 Tour

10/27/2018 CA, Los Angeles Hillsong Tour Worship United Young & Free

10/28/2018 AR, N. Little Rock Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

11/01/2018 NC, Charlotte Danny Gokey with Tauren Wells and Riley Clemmons

11/02/2018 TN, Knoxville Danny Gokey with Tauren Wells and Riley Clemmons

11/03/2018 PA, Reading Jeremy Camp and Matthew West

11/03/2018 ME, Portland Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

11/09/2018 SC, Greenville Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

11/10/2018 NC, Greensboro Mercy Me & Tenth Avenue North

11/10/2018 TX, Hidalgo Jeremy Camp and Matthew West

11/10/2018 RI, Providence Toby Mac and Diverse City on The Theater Tour

11/11/2018 TX, Corpus Christi Jeremy Camp and Matthew West

11/16/2018 MO, St. Charles Jeremy Camp and Matthew West

11/18/2018 KS, Wichita Jeremy Camp and Matthew West

12/01/2018 WV, Charleston The Roadshow Christmas Tour

12/01/2018 PA, Reading Little Drummer Boy Christmas Tour – For King & Country

12/02/2018 TN, Knoxville Chris Tomlin Christmas

12/16/2018 FL, Jacksonville Little Drummer Boy Christmas Tour – For King & Country

Tabling

10/17/2018 MI, Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Vegfest

10/13/2018 IL, Chicago Chicago Vegan Mania

10/20-21/18 CA, Costa Mesa SoCAl VegFest

10/20-21/18 OR, Portland Portland VegFest

10/27/2018 TX, Dallas Texas veggie Fair

10/27/2018 CA, San Francisco World Veg Festival

10/28/2018 FL, Orlando Central Florida Veg Fest

11/03/2018 FL, Tampa Bay Tampa Bay Veg Fest

11/04/2018 AZ, Phoenix SouthWest VegFest

11/10/2018 GA, Atlanta Atlanta Veg Fest

11/11/2018 FL, W Palm Beach Palm Beach VegFest

08/15-25/19 NY, Camp Walden Woodsrock Fruit Festival

3. From All-Creatures.org Ministry

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