why don't we care?

I was happy to meet Nancy Janisch and her husband Steve during the recent Wake Up Weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  As it turns out, Nancy is both a practicing theologian in the Presbyterian tradition and a former small animal and emergency practice veterinarian of 20 years.  I also discovered she has some excellent posts on animals and faith at her blog Conversation in Faith, and she's graciously allowed me to cross-post some of them here.  The following is from "Why Don't We Care?", an excellent look at the connection between faithful environmentalism, or creation care, and a concern for animals specifically, which we'll be exploring more in the coming weeks: 

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news and notes, Oct. 28 '08

be a part of ...

- Tomorrow, Wednesday the 29th, a student-based Christian creation care group called Renewal is calling for a day of prayer "for the renewal of God's creation" (Facebook invitation).  They are extending the invitation for groups to gather on campuses, churches and in homes, but also for individuals to take a few moments out of their day to pray.  While Renewal is an environmentally-focused group, I think this is an excellent opportunity for those of us who have a special heart for animal welfare issues to pray as well, even more so with some crucial ballot measures coming up for a vote next week (read on ...).

- Speaking of ballot measures, I'll be blogging more this week about Proposition 2: The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act which is coming up for a vote next Tuesday, November 4th, in California.  Here is a brief (2 min.) preview in the meantime ...

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compassion and restraint

Michael Bruner, a fellow missionary kid and an evangelical pastor and professor in the Presbyterian tradition, gave the following talk at the announcement of the Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion in Washington D.C. last November ... 

California is burning, Mexico is drowning, and sub-Saharan Africa is dying of thirst. In the wider context of these disasters, how we treat animals seems to be a disproportionately small concern.  But why is California burning, and Mexico drowning, and Africa parched?  We talk about this country's addiction to oil.  It is nothing compared to our addiction to meat.  A recent U.N. report published earlier this year found that the methane produced from the flatulence of cows causes more damage to the atmosphere than all the exhaust from trains, planes, and automobiles combined (try quoting that in your headlines tomorrow).  Turns out, how we treat animals is a lynchpin to so many other pressing issues of the day, particularly when it comes to the environment.  Quite literally, animals are the environment, so their fate is our own, and if we can't muster enough character and compassion to look after their welfare, we, too, will go the way of the kiwi, and soon the polar bear, and perhaps already the honeybee.

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Iowa flooding and animals

Updated on June 30, 2008 by Ben DeVries

With the storms and flooding across the Midwest, and images dominating the news of what seem to be acres upon acres of water where it's not supposed to be, the impact upon the lives of countless people and their homes and communities is impossible to overlook.  The human emergency created by this disaster naturally consumes the majority of our focus and response, as it should, and needs to if we are going to address other effects of the flooding as well, which has had a staggering environmental impact, and jeopardized the lives of countless animals as well: pets, livestock and wildlife.

It's unfortunate to hear that modern human development has more than likely contributed to the extent of the disaster and its impact upon people, nature and animals alike.  As this article by Mary Kelly of the Environmental Defense Fund points out:

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just another animal?

Focus on the Family magazine is running a cover story this month (June '08) which they describe as "a look at animal rights."  Written by Del Tackett, senior VP and creator of Focus' The Truth Project which is a course on biblical worldview, the article is titled "Just Another Animal?" (you can read all of it online).

The print version leads with an infamous quote from Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder and president of PETA: "A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy."  Tackett goes on to critique the equation of animals with humans by some animal advocates, along with the raising of their "rights and status" to a parallel level.  To not do so is labeled by philosopher and father of the modern animal rights movement Peter Singer as "speciesism," favoring one species over another with no grounding other than favoritism for doing so (see Singer's hugely influential book Animal Liberation).

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