“Be Not Afraid”: Vegan Clergy Respond to Anti-vegan Sentiment Within the Church
Animals: Tradition - Philosophy - Religion Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM SARX: For All God's Creatures
November 2021

What is most important is a change of attitude towards God’s creatures and sensitivity for those who care for them. We need an extension of the popular ‘Inclusive Church’ agenda so that it also reflects God’s love for the other-than-human animals.

Image by Ben White - Unsplash

It was my first day of a new job at a church in West London. During the morning break, upon being asked if I would like tea or coffee, I explained that I was a vegan and politely asked if there was any soya milk. The curate replied that there was not and, fixing me with a stern eye, said coldly “You won’t find many of those in this community”.

The extraordinary growth of veganism has been met with some stiff push back and unfortunately, as many vegans well know, such frosty encounters are becoming a common place within the workplace or among family and friends.

In reference to a 2015 US study by Cara MacInnis and Gordon Hodson[1], Matt Ball of One Step for Animals wrote that “vegans are viewed more negatively than atheists, immigrants and asexuals.” Ball added “The only group viewed more negatively than vegans were drug addicts.”[2]

As for the UK, a collaborative research report produced by the Vegan Society, The Ecologist magazine and Kingston University[3] revealed meat eaters (who were not considering going vegan) to have very negative perceptions of veganism, believing it may be “unhealthy”, “harmful to the environment” and “unnatural”. Also “social barriers such as stereotypes and abuse directed towards vegans” were listed among some of the main issues preventing people from becoming vegan.

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Please read the ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE (PDF).

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