Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - November 2, 2025
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. The Importance of Stories
  2. All-Creatures.Org Newsletter

1. The Importance of Stories

When a community broadly agrees that certain stories contain truth, those stories can inspire kindness, compassion, and justice. How can we reach consensus about a story's truth when there is reasonable doubt that its events actually occurred?

Stories reflect and shape people's values and beliefs. Even when not historically accurate, they can help us discern right from wrong and consider how we should live. For instance, substantial evidence suggests that the biblical creation story does not literally describe how the earth and life began. Yet many people who do not read it literally still believe it offers timeless wisdom about our relationship to the world, to other living beings, and to one another.

Perhaps the answer lies in acknowledging the limits of human knowledge. We lack definitive answers to life's great questions—where we came from, what happens after death, and what our purpose is. Many sense that these mysteries lie beyond the full reach of science and suggest the presence of other forces, which we might call God. Even if God's nature remains mysterious, we can, as a matter of faith grounded in our experience of the world, believe that God is good.

This belief—that the divine is aligned with the good—has inspired people across ages to tell stories about God and God's purposes for the earth and humanity. Communities that find meaning in these stories, whether literally or metaphorically, can support one another in pursuing good and alleviating suffering. In this broad sense, religion—a shared faith in something greater—can be a powerful force for good.

Yet much harm has also been done in the name of religion. Wars have been fought over faith, and the idea of humanity's "dominion" over creation has often justified mistreatment of other beings. How can we ensure that religious faith uplifts rather than harms? I will turn to that next.

Stephen R. Kaufman, MD

2. All-Creatures.Org Newsletter

Isn't it wonderful to see more and more faith-based ethical vegan happenings!

We hope you enjoy this week's newsletter and also find useful tools in all we share. This week's newsletter contains the Animal advocacy letter hand-delivered to Pope Leo - vegan priest Fr Terry Martin honored by PETA - Pawprints on My Heart: A New Zealand Woman's Journey to Help Street Animals in India, a new book by Sandra Isobel Kyle - speak up for black bears in Florida and New Jersey! - Dr. Jane Goodall's impact for animals and inspiring legacy - exploring the environmental impact of animal farming in Michael Grunwald's We Are Eating the Earth - promoting healthy communication between vegans and nonvegans - and more...

https://all-creatures.org/newsletter/news-20251015.html

Do you have things that you would like to see included in future newsletters? Then send it to us at maddie@all-creatures.org.

In the Love of the Lord,
Frank L. Hoffman
and
Kindness,
Tams Nicholson

Please support the CVA! At www.christianveg.org/materials.htm, you can find literature, T-shirts, bumper stickers and more, and donations are always welcomed!

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