Vegan Theology: For the Least of These

We begin this episode with a little conversation about the spiritual forces behind animal exploitation. Then we discuss the wonderful first chapter of Ask the Animals: Wild Christology: On Foxes, Birds, and the Son of Man, by William “Chip” Gruen.

Developing a biblical animal hermeneutic is our focus as we begin working through the book: Ask the Animals, ed by Arthur Walker-Jones and Suzanna Millar. We discuss passages from Job, from which the title of this book is taken. And we look at the language (pronouns) used for animals in our Bible translations. How we talk about animals matters. We’re excited to be enlightened in our animal hermene...

The lengths that theologians, philosophers, and scientists will go to deny animals moral consideration is astounding. The anthropocentric status quo so often holds more weight than faithful interpretation or intellectual honesty. We discuss a conversation with a theologian friend, as well as an article by Grace Clement, “Animals and Moral Agency: The Recent Debate and Its Implications.”

Here is the sermon Sarah recently gave to our local church congregation. While not explicitly vegan, hopefully it meets the congregation where they are and lays a biblical foundation for the vegan ethic. What are your thoughts? We also discuss the direction of our next several episodes which will focus on animal spirituality, and an animal-centric hermeneutic. http://peaceofchrist.church/sermons

A delightful conversation with Dr. Marcello Newall - Vegan Theologian. Enjoy! Resources: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3616-7702

A breakdown of millennialism and how it affects how we treat the world. We discuss Moltmann’s unique eschatology which doesn’t fit neatly into a-, pre-, or post- millennial framework.

A lively discussion of Liberation Theology and Moltmann’s interaction with Liberation theologians. Liberation Theology’s main concern of how best to stand with the oppressed is every bit as relevant today.

Metz, Schillebeeckx and Pannenberg were Moltmann's contemporaries who each developed their own theologies of hope. However, their magisterial Christianity hamstrung their theologies while Moltmann’s radical protestantism freed him to construct a more cohesive and transformational theology of hope.

A look at gnosticism and platonism and their influence on Christian theology.

In this episode we continue discussing Marcello Newall’s dissertation: Repairing the World: tikkun olam and Jurgen Moltmann’s Theology of Hope focusing on Moltman’s rediscovery of tikkun olam. Resources referenced in the making of this podcast: 20th-Century Theology: God and the World in a Transitional Age by Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olson https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/STx87_umQe2r...

We discuss the history of the concept of Tikkun Olam from biblical and rabbinical literature to the 21st century. And we continue to discuss how to keep hope alive. Reference: https://youtu.be/5EDKRGkgLsI?si=iJi5NG4vt7IP-gav

In this episode we begin discussing the PhD thesis of Dr. Marcello Newell entitled ‘Repairing the World’: Tikkun Olam and Jürgen Moltmann’s Theology of Hope. You can request a copy here: https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/35434/ On the Leeds university site you need to “request a copy” where it says “download” and the system should allow you access to it.

Highlights From Oxford Center for Animal Ethics - Summer School 2025: Ethics of Captivity

Let’s talk Anarchism and Anabaptism! We had the privilege of interviewing Cody Cook, author of The Anarchist Anabaptist: Essays on Radical Christianity and Freedom . It was a fun and enlightening conversation.

From the scribes of the first centuries, to the committees deciding what writings were included in the Bible, to the motivations behind the 1611 KJV, the 1909 Scofield Study Bible, the 1946 RSV, to the present moment, the people behind the Bible have been motivated by trends in culture, politics, and personal theologies. This has led to the marginalization, rather than the inclusion of many of G-d...

What’s more important: Knowing about G-d, or knowing G-d? We discuss some of the many ways we can foster an intimate relationship with G-d, and a few practices that have been life changing for us. The marvelous and mysterious truth is that G-d will always meet us right where we are when we seek encounter with G-d. Resources used in the making of this podcast: Pablo d’Ors: Biography of Silence Thom...

What exactly is the Bible, really? Kevin and I discuss how our understanding of the Bible has changed throughout our lives, and how that has impacted our relationships with God. Resources used in the making of this podcast: Systematic Philosophical Theology, Volume 1: Prolegomena, On Scripture, On Faith by William Lane Craig Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart....

The tension of living vegan in a non-vegan world can be most acute at church. Today we discuss ways to help ourselves navigate this phenomenon with as much grace as possible. And we talk through the most vegan sermon we’ve ever heard!

The legendary Carol J. Adams shared an hour with us to talk about her life’s work within Christianity, feminism, veganism, and her activism for marginalized beings. We had a chance to discuss her Prayers For Animals; and The Sexual Politics of Meat, as well as a few other books she’s written. Here are a few of the feminist theological works she recommended to us in this interview: In Memory of Her...

We had the honor of interviewing Dr. Kemmerer! Author of Animals and World Religions, Dr. Lisa Kemmerer joins us to discuss her life and work as an activist for anymals. She shares how her amazing life experiences motivate her to give back, and to leave the world a better place than she found it.

Dr. Lisa Kemmerer masterfully draws her book to its conclusion: All the world’s major religions are radically anymal friendly! Then the appendix serves to dispel any myths that anymal-exploiting industries are in any way humane, or acceptable within compassionate religions.

Perhaps most surprising of all the chapters in this book, (to us), Islamic sacred texts are brimming with explicit, specific, beautiful admonitions about how to treat animals with kindness and compassion. Allahu akbar!

Dr. Lisa Kemmerer lays out a strong Christian Vegan Theology in this chapter. If the Christian is bound to protect the abused, the poor, the powerless, than anymals must be the responsibility of Christians.

Once we begin to clear out some culturally instilled blindness, we see that the Tanakh (OT) is overflowing with evidence of G-d’s love for anymals!

What do the core beliefs and teachings of Confucianism and Daoism say about our treatment of animals? These Chinese religious traditions have surprisingly specific instructions for us.