Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - November 27, 2017
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Upcoming Activist Opportunities
  2. Essay: Original Sin, part 17
  3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman

1. Upcoming Activist Opportunities

Leafleting and tabling are effective, enjoyable ways to show our brothers and sisters in Christ that a plant-based diet is good for God’s Creation. When you volunteer for the CVA, the CVA donates $20/hr. to the veg. or animal protection group of your choice. If you can help, contact Lorena at lorenavalenziveg@gmail.com.

11/30/2017 TX, Austin Casting Crowns
12/01/2017 MO, Springfield Newsboys
12/02/2017 DC, Washington Needtobreathe
12/02/2017 TX, Houston Casting Crowns
12/03/2017 AR, Little Rock Newsboys
12/03/2017 TX, Dallas Casting Crowns
12/03/2017 CO, Denver Christmas Tour
12/03/2017 MA, Boston Needtobreathe
12/05/2017 TN, Nashville Casting Crowns
12/05/2017 NY, NYC Needtobreathe
12/08/2017 IL, Chicago Christmas Tour
12/08/2017 MO, St. Louis Casting Crowns
12/09/2017 IL, Chicago Needtobreathe
12/09/2017 MN, Minneapolis Casting Crowns
12/10/2017 IN, Indianapolis Christmas Tour
12/14/2017 NY, NYC Chris Tomlin
12/14/2017 NC, Greensboro Casting Crowns
12/15/2017 PA, Pittsburgh Casting Crowns
12/16/2017 PA, Philadelphia Christmas Tour
12/16/2017 KY, Louisville Casting Crowns
12/17/2017 GA, Atlanta Casting Crowns
12/17/2017 NY, New York Christmas Tour
12/28-31/17 TN, Gatlinburg Xtreme Winter
01/06/2018 KY, Louisville Winter Jam 2018
01/07/2018 MI, Grand Rapids Winter Jam 2018
01/12/2018 FL, Jacksonville Winter Jam 2018
01/13/2018 FL, Tampa Winter Jam 2018
01/18/2018 PA, Reading Winter Jam 2018
01/20/2018 OH, Columbus Winter Jam 2018
01/21/2018 NC, Charlotte Winter Jam 2018
01/25/2018 MO, Springfield Winter Jam 2018
01/26/2018 IA, Des Moines Winter Jam 2018
01/27/2018 MO, St. Louis Winter Jam 2018
01/28/2018 OK, Tulsa Winter Jam 2018
02/01/2018 AL, Mobile Winter Jam 2018
02/02/2018 TN, Nashville Winter Jam 2018
02/03/2018 GA, Atlanta Winter Jam 2018
02/08/2018 IN, Ft. Wayne Winter Jam 2018
02/09/2018 OH, Cleveland Winter Jam 2018
02/10/2018 IN, Indianapolis Winter Jam 2018
02/11/2018 MI, Detroit Winter Jam 2018
02/16/2018 PA, Pittsburgh Winter Jam 2018
02/17/2018 OH, Columbus Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North LIVE
02/17/2018 OH, Cincinnati Winter Jam 2018
02/22/2018 TX, Corpus Christi Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North LIVE
02/23/2018 TN, Knoxville Winter Jam 2018
02/24/2018 NC, Greensboro Winter Jam 2018
02/25/2018 TN, Chattanooga Winter Jam 2018
03/02/2018 GA, Atlanta Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North LIVE
03/03/2018 TN, Memphis Winter Jam 2018
03/04/2018 TX, Houston Winter Jam 2018
03/04/2018 TN, Nashville Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
03/09/2018 KS, Wichita Winter Jam 2018
03/10/2018 LA, Bossier City Winter Jam 2018
03/10/2018 PA, Philadelphia Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
03/11/2018 MO, Kansas City Winter Jam 2018
03/17/2018 OK, Oklahoma City Winter Jam 2018
03/18/2018 TX, Ft. Worth Winter Jam 2018
03/23/2018 SC, Columbia Winter Jam 2018
03/24/2018 NC, Raleigh Winter Jam 2018
03/25/2018 SC, Greenville Winter Jam 2018
03/29/2018 IL, Chicago Winter Jam 2018
03/31/2018 KY, Lexington Winter Jam 2018
04/07/2018 MO, St. Charles Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/08/2018 MI, Grand Rapids Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/12/2018 IA, Des Moines Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/13/2018 MN, Minneapolis Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North
04/21/2018 OK, Oklahoma City Mercy Me and Tenth Avenue North

2. Essay: Original Sin, part 17

Last week I suggested that understanding and responding to Jesus’ death on the cross can help us address original sin and, by doing so, result in personal and communal salvation. In earlier essays, I suggested that the original sin – which I linked to what John the Baptist called “the sin of the world” – is scapegoating. The scapegoating process involves attributing excess guilt to one or more individuals and then victimizing them. Humans have been doing this throughout our history to generate and bind communities, and we can never have communities of love, compassion, and peace as long as scapegoating is the glue that holds communities together.

Jesus taught that all the outcasts of society – those who were the convenient victims of scapegoating – should be welcomed and loved. This threatened the scapegoating process, which victimizes marginal individuals. Excluding these individuals gives people a sense of belonging – “we” are better than those individuals – and outcasts are conveniently blamed for whatever crises threaten to undermine communal cohesion.

Those who defend scapegoating victims become vulnerable to violence themselves. They are routinely accused of being evil or members of the class of outcasts. Jesus scandalized many people when he embraced widows, orphans, “sinners,” people with disabilities, and “unclean” people with leprosy. Perhaps most provoking was his defense of animals. The Gospels, written long after Jesus’ death and embraced by early Christian sects that were not animal-friendly, say little about animal protectionism. However, the Gospels do preserve Jesus twice echoing Hosea 6:6 by saying, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13, 12:7). And, the act that was probably responsible for Jesus’ death was his outburst in the Temple, in which he liberated the animals slated for sacrifice.

I think it is reasonable to hold that Jesus recognized that his radical inclusiveness would likely lead to his execution. How might this save us? I will continue to explore this next week.

Stephen R. Kaufman, MD

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

Serving God Requires Spiritual Connection

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