July 10, 2013 - Christian Vegetarian Association Update Newsletters


	2013 Newsletters

CVA Weekly Newsletter
July 10, 2013

Activist Feedback

Essay: Institutions and the Scapegoating Process

This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

1. Activist Feedback

Carol, who tabled at the Houston VegFest on 6/15, writes:

This was probably my favorite event of all time. There were nice crowds that definitely wanted to learn more about the Christian Vegetarian Association because they were already vegetarian. Many people told me that they were already members and all were very friendly. I passed out all of the materials provided, plus an extra box of leaflets because another booth participant happened to have an extra box. The kids loved the coloring booklet and the bumper stickers went very fast too. I was surprise about the number of Jewish people who participated and took the Jewish vegetarian booklet. There was one atheist, but she even took the Vegetarianism and the Major World Religions booklet. I was happy to see the Fr. John Dear leaflet included, and many Catholics were attracted to it. My hope is that others will be interested in leafleting there as well. Please also know that CVA was prominently published in the bulletin that everyone received so essentially all participants received at least a little information about the CVA. The whole event seemed like a wonderful day that filled me with lots of hope for the future.

Upcoming Activist Opportunities

7/16      CA   Sacramento         Third Day
7/17-20   MN   Willmar       Sonshine Festival 2013
7/19-21   NY   Hannibal      S.O.S. Fest
7/21      MI   Hopkins       Point of Grace
7/20      FL   Daytona Beach The Take Over Tour
7/20      MO   Saint Louis        Needtobreath
7/21-20   IA   Cedar Falls        Promise Keepers Men's Conference
7/25      NY   New York      Mary Mary
7/27      SC   Duncan        Red, White, Blue & You Jason Crabb and Sisters
7/28      OH   Toledo        Jeremy Camp
7/31-8/3 NH   Gilford       SoulFest
8/01      WV   Charleston         Need to Breathe
8/02      TX   Midland       Third Day
8/02      GA   Norcross      Victory World Music Worship Concert
8/03      NH   Gilford       SoulFest – Sanctus Real
8/7-10    WA   Enumclaw      CreationFest
8/08      IA   Des Moines         Casting Crowns
8/16      NC   Asheville     Casting Crowns
8/17      FL   Tampa              Tabling – Total Wellness Health Fair
8/18      VA   Williamsburg Third Day
8/23          MI   Battle Creek Promise Keepers Men's Conference
8/24      OR   Portland      Point of Grace
8/30-9/1 SD   Worthing      The Lifelight Festival
9/06      FL   Orlando       Audio Adrenaline
9/07      FL   Orlando       Casting Crowns
9/12      NY   New York      Third Day
9/14      AZ   Phoenix       Point of Grace
9/20          OK   Tulsa              Promise Keepers Men's Conference
9/20-21   VA   Middleburg         Awakening Festival 2013
9/21      IL   Chicago       VeganMania
9/28      DC   Washington         DC Veg Fest
9/28      TX   Tyler              Point of Grace
10/06         MA   Pittsfield         Kings and Queens Tour 2013
10/25     FL   Daytona       Promise Keepers Men's Conference
10/29         PA   Pittsburgh         JCTV Tour
11/01         PA   Blakely       Third Day
11/09         GA   Atlanta        Atlanta Veg Fest
12/07         NY   New York City Toby Mac Hits Deep Tour

International event:

7/19-20            Toronto CANADA     Echo Beach     Beruna Music Festival

Please contact Lorena at lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com if you can help.

2. Essay: Institutions and the Scapegoating Process

In recent essays, Last week, I discussed some practical difficulties with institutions. Cultural anthropologist René Girard has argued that all human institutions are grounded in the scapegoating process. He claimed that humans establish institutions in order to separate the community from those who are seen as purveyors of evil. This way, the community can maintain cohesion in the face of crises and bitter rivalries, because scapegoats are blamed for angry feelings that would otherwise tear the community apart. Consequently, exclusion is a central component of human institutions. For more on Girard’s thinking, one can read his book Violence and the Sacred. I have summarized Girardian thought in the first chapter of my book Guided by the Faith of Christ.

If Girard is correct, or at least on the right track, then exclusion is also a central component of religious institutions. It seems to me that there is much evidence supporting this view. Nearly all churches claim that their own followers have a special relationship to the divine, and a common theme among religions is that only their own faithful adherents will enjoy a happy afterlife. Further, religions typically refuse to countenance views that deviate from their orthodoxy. This helps maintain institutional cohesiveness, which is not necessarily bad, but it can also promote harmful practices by prohibiting criticism.

It has always been tempting to scapegoat – to attribute excess guilt to one or a minority of individuals and thereby absolve the larger group of wrongdoing. Institutions can easily participate in scapegoating by labeling nonbelievers or critics within their ranks as “evil” or “possessed” by demonic forces. The end result is often violent and always unjust.

So, how do we have communities of faith while avoiding the pitfalls of institutions? I will offer some thoughts about this next week.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

Small Miracles Happen All the Time

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