BEI'WEEN THE SPFX::IES 190 Although the service had supporters both Morning, a magazine for Presbyterian minis­ within and without the religious canmunity, a ters, a Presbyterian pastor accused the ser­ few ministers of the Christian faith, in vice of "humanism," stating that, "We are of particular two publicly and one through my the refonned. faith, the church refonned. al­ acquaintance, said they would not attend such ways reforming. I hardly believe that funer­ a service as ani.rna/ls do not have souls, and als like the one for Wind-of-Fire are steps therefore, it was inappropriate to hold a in this refonnation process." Another pas­ service which implied that anima/ls would tor, responding in the September, 1985, is­ participate in a resurrection, afterlife, or sued of the same magazine, countered this by in particular heaven. saying, "the pastor reports, and seemingly has problems with, the minister saying that

Anna Kingsford, a nineteenth century God I S Love extends to all of creation and feminist/mystic and anima/l rights activist, offering prayers for animals that are victims pointed out that all forms of life are re­ of human injustice. I am disturbed by what garded as having souls within the Judea/ this seems to say both about the role of a Christian tradition. In Genesis, the word in pastor towards a grieving person and about Hebrew which applies to all living things is the relationship of humans to animals."[3] "Nephesh," meaning soul. As Kingsford points out, in '!he Perfect~, a series of her Q1e humorous response to the service lectures published in London in 1882, "had appeared in a column called "Insect Rights," the Bible been accurately translated, the by John C. Dvorak, in '!he San Francisco Ex­ doctrine that all creatures whatsoever repre­ aminer, Monday, May 6, 1985. Mr. Dvorak

sent incarnations, though in different condi­ canmented, "She I s already had services for tions, of one and the same universal soul, dogs and cats. But you know where she drops would not now need to be re-declared, or, the ball? I see no evidence that she'll let when re-declared would not be received with the dogs and cats into the ministry! It I S a repugnance. "[2] And in the Old Testament, sham! " I might respond to Mr. Dvorak that, Job 12:10, reference is made to "the soul of my Master of Divinity aside, at present I am every living thing." a lay minister no more and no less than many ani.rna/ls of my acquaintance. It is ironic that a couple of Christian ministers who go further than many Christians Anna Kingsford always said that her in acknowledging that ani.rna/ls have something grounding in religion was not in the histori­ spiritu;> 1 to them believe that ani.rna/ls (non­ cal and institutional aspects but in the human ones) have a "group soul." According universal truths that lie at the heart of the to this way of thinking, no anima/l, apart faith. It was in this spirit that she consi­ fran the human anima/l, has individuality or dered herself a Christian. And it was in an individual essence or soul. The conse­ quences that follow fran this way of thinking this spirit that she interpreted the meaning of scripture, the scriptures of the Judea/ are quite disturbing. Q1e minister with this Christian tradition and other religious tra­ belief suggested to his wife, whose anima/l ditions. Acconting to one of her biogra­ canpanion, a dog, was quite ill, that rather phers, "the last journey of her life was not than trying to heal it, she should replace it a happy experience, but it was an infonnative with another dog. Since anima/ls have a one. Here, at the centre of institutional group soul, oneanima/l was easily replaced Christendan, she found that the Church had by another. Another minister who holds this lost the supreme vision of the Christian belief would not participate in the merrorial faith--the deliverance of all creation, and

service, particularly in regard to the sacra­ not of human beings only, I into the glorious ment that was offered. His belief that ani­ liberty of the children of God;' and that in malls have a group soul led to the belief place of this pristine splendour all that it that it is inappropriate to have a merrorial could now see and teach was a selfish form of service for an anima/l which suggests that humanism--what human beings, here and hereaf­ his or her individual soul will participate ter and at whatever cost to the rest of life, in a resurrection, afterlife, or, as stated must obtain for themselves alone."[4] before, heaven. Untold numbers of people have left the In the July, 1985, issue of Monday Church as a result of the same kind of spe- 191 BEl'WEEN THE SPEX::IES ciesist interpretation of tradition that The second meaning of the Eucharist, was evident in the response of several cler­ liberation, is based on the original Pasach gypersons to the service for Wind-of-Fire and meal symbolizing the liberation of the Jews all Ul1IOOurned and suffering anima/Is. It is fran ~t. The New Testament takes up this not clear how many have left other religious idea, and the Eucharist becomes a symbol, not traditions for similar reasons. The goals of only of the liberation of the Jews, but of Judaism and of Christianity are the same, the the entire creation. This carries out the liberation of all fontlS of life, but one does Jewish notion of the Messiah or Kingdom in not hear of people leaving the synagogue for which each life form will be in harmony with reasons of speciesism. every other life form: war and strife will cease, as will what we call the food chain Obviously, the memorial service for and our position on it. "They shall not hurt Wind-of-Fire was not based on an historical nor destroy in all my holy IlOuntain: for the interpretation or institutional interpreta­ earth shall be full of the knowledge of the tion of either the Judea/Christian tradition Lord, as the waters cover the sea."[6] or the other traditions included in the order of Service. And yet, ironically, a radical Thus, the Eucharist is eschatological. interpretation of the Judea/Christian tradi­ It concerns the final destiny of the creation tion, an interpretation that goes to the in general and of the individual soul in roots of the tradition, would exonerate ev­ particular. As defined in the ---OXford --Dic­ erything that took place within the context tionary of the Christian Church, it concerns of the service, particularly in regard to the "the doctrine of the last things." sacrament, or "Sharing of the Bread: An Agape Meal," for all anima/Is, all of the In both Judaism and Christianity, the creation. destiny of the individual soul and creation in general is the Kingdom, or Messiah, in The heart of the Eucharist, the Chris­ which the lion and lamb will lie dao1n toge­ tian comrrnmion service based on the Hebrew ther. In what has been called "realized Passover of Pasach meal, insofar as it re­ eschatology," it becomes the responsibility lates to the universalist meaning of "The of human beings to actively participate in Sharing of the Bread: An Agape Meal, is the bringing in of this Kingdan or Messiah. sharing. Sharing is one of the three key In Ranans 8:19, Paul says, "For the earnest meanings of the Eucharist" all of which re­ expectation of the creature waiteth for the late to each other. These are the notions of manifestation of the sons and daughters of sharing, liberation, and kingdom. God." And, again, in Ranans 21 and 22, "Be­ cause the creature itself also shall be deli­ According to Tissa Balasuriya, "For the vered fran the bondage of corruption into the early Christians the cereroony of the breaking glorious liberty of the children of God. For of bread--Eucharist--was intilnately connected we know that the whole creation groaneth and with the sharing of bread. It was not a mere travaileth in pain together until now." formalist cereroonial. The Eucharist signi­ There is no liberation for human beings with­ fied sharing. We have seen how the early out liberation for all anima/ls. Christian groups shared what they had so that there was no one in need. For Jesus, too, Thus, "the Eucharist demands the cham­ the Last Supper, the first and inaugural pioning of rights. In this sense the euchar­ Eucharist, was closely associated with his istic table prefigures the ultilnate stage of self-giving." [5] liberation, the realization of the kingdan of God on earth as in heaven. It is eschatolo­ This sharing often took place in the gical. It signifies the stage pranised in context of an "agape meal" in which the roost the Scriptures when the lion and the lamb can deprived members of the CCl!lIllIll1ity, the out­ lie together and share W!t:= same pasture."[7] casts, were offered bread. Thus, the name for the sacrament, "The Sharing of the Bread: The Eucharist was never intended to be a An Agape Meal," to make the point that ani­ privatistic ritual for those who have ma/ls are outcasts in our society. They must achieved "personal salvation" in the indivi­ be included sacramentally and literally with­ dualistic sense. The Eucharist is meant to in "the fold." be universalist in the sense of embodying the BEI'WEEN THE SPECIES 192 meaning of the Kingdom/Queendom. The euchar­ and, rrore specifically, for those people who istic bread is meant to be a common meal for have been saved in the individualistic sense. all. All will share the Kingdom/Queendom on Tbday's Eucharist observances reflect the earth, and all must share the ccmnitrnent to unspoken assumption that people are superior bring in this Kingdom/Queendom through real­ and worth rrore than other forms of life. ized eschatology. "On earth as it is in Tcxlay's Eucharist is observed in a manner heaven." This includes all anima/Is, human which reinforces relationships based on ine­ and nonhuman. quality anong life forms. It does this not only by excluding other life forms from par­ Inherent in the notion of Eucharist is ticipation in the sacrament itself, but by the idea of justice. It is unjust that some not including liturgical acknowledgement of should have bread and others not. It is universalist salvation in which the lion and unjust that the bodies of some forms of life the lamb will lie down together in the King­ should be utilized for food and mercilessly dom/Queendom. The Eucharist, as practiced exploited by other forms of life. "When the today, is speciesist. Eucharist ceases to relate to liberation, it ceases to be connected with Christ's life In "The Sharing of the Bread: An Agape sacrifice. It does not help constitute the Meal," we offered the traditional elements, Kingdom of God on earth; it does not even bread and grape juice, of not only the Judea/ honor God objectively."[8] Christian tradition but of Hittite, American Indian, matriarchal and other traditions as James F. White, in a discussion of the well. Yet even as the elements of the Eu­ sacraments, [9] poses the question, "What do charist have been limited because of the we mean by justice?" According to White, one tradition being carried out within the con­ traditional way of defining justice is to text of a predominant culture, they have been state that it is unjust to consider any form limited in their application to other forms of life of less worth than any other. It is of life. unjust to reduce any being to a means to be used by another being for its ends, or even "In the cultural adaptation of the Eu­ for the good of a majority's ends. Justice charist we should consider to what extent the involves an obligation to respect the rights use of bread and wine are absolutely essen­ of all equally; it is an expression of love. tial in our context. Bread is not the daily food of rrost Asians, and certainly not the White goes on to say that "sacraments unleavened bread in the form of hosts. Would are intimately connected to justice, since not some other forms of food and drink be sacraments provide means of acting out rela­ rrore acceptable? A change or flexibility in tionships by enfleshing them in visible this could increase the meaningfulness of the forms; sacraments can also be perverted to Eucharist." [11] And, one might add, of all make visible unjust relationships as well as rites that attempt to reflect the &'1aring, just ones. Sacraments can become means of liberation, and Kingdom/Queendom concepts in reinforcing relationships based on inequali­ a truly inclusive, nonspeciesist manner. ty, subordination, and subservience; sacra­ ments often reflect in profound ways unspoken One of the arguments offered against assumptions about the nature of relationships sacraments such as "The Sharing of the Bread: within the community of faith. The actions An Agape Meal" or the notion of a universal­ of the community may betray far rrore instan­ ist Eucharist for anima/Is is that anima/Is ces of clericalism, sexism, ageism, racism, are pure and innocent and don't need sacra­ and ethnicism [and, we would add, speciesism] ments. This goes back to the personal salva­ than we would ever tolerate if such preju­ tion, in the individualistic sense, notion of dices were articulated."[lO] the Eucharist. According to this notion, the Eucharist is only for human sinners who have The present manner of observing the personally come to God or accepted Jesus Eucharist does not embody the universalist Christ as savior. This notion belies the and planetary significance which is inherent universalist message in the Eucharist as a in the Kingdom/Queendom notion. In its pri­ symbol of the Kingdom/Queendom. vatism it reflects the unspoken assumption that the Kingdom/Queendom is only for people Another argument offered against ani- 193 BEI'WEEN THE SPECIES malls receiving sacraments is that anima/Is They are unacknowledged followers of the will not understand their meaning. In re­ Gospel and the highest teachings of many sponse to this argument, one may ask why the religious traditions. They participate in same criticism is not offered in regard to the sharing aspect of the Eucharist. They the Blessing of the anima/Is, a sacrament also participate, if we are open to them, in offered to nonhuman anima/Is within the Epis­ the liberating aspect of the Eucharist. As copalian Church, and sometimes the Catholic we are liberated fran each form of prejudice, Church, as well. including speciesism, we draw closer to G

BEIWEEN THE SPECIES 194 species typifies the religious leader, sage, (London: Michael Joseph, 1969): 151. and avatar not only within the Judea/Chris­ tian tradition but within other religious 5. Tissa Balasuriya, The Eucharist and traditions as well. The Buddha reflected Human Liberation (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis love for all of the creation. Buddhist rites Books, 1979): 80. reflect concern for other fonns of life. They include mem:>rial services as well as 6. Isaiah 11:9. ordination services and services of remem­ brance for anima/ls. [13] There are stories 7. Balasuriya, 85. within Buddhism of Buddhists giving up their lives for anima/ls, reflecting the sharing, 8. Ibid, 38. liberating, and Kingdan/Queendan aspects of the Eucharist rite. 9. James F. White, Sacraments ---as God's Self Giving (Nashville: Abingdon Press, In Hinduism, Krishna is often p::>rtrayed 1983). with a cow. In matriarchal religious tradi­ tions, wanen are frequently regarded as the 10. Ibid., 95. protectresses of anima/ls. A sculpture of Artemis fran the second century A.D. p::>rtrays 11. Balasuriya, 150. her as an abundant sustainer and nurturer of life. She is p::>rtrayed as having infinite 12. "Anima/l rights" artist Joni Wehrli breasts and is adorned with breasted, sculp­ "substitutes" figures of dogs for human fi­ tured p::>rtrayals of cows and other anima/ gures in scenes fran the Old and New Testa­ Is.[14] ments. Her 1I/Ork includes: "Adam and Eve with Serpent," "Baptism of Christ," "Saint Fach year the International Society for George (and the Dragon)," saint John on Pat­ Religion and anima/l Rights will attempt to ros." hold a service in a traditional place of 1I/Orship for all urmourned and suffering ani­ 13. See Buddhism and Respect for Ani­ malls. we do this within a traditional reli­ mals, in volume XI, numbers 7 and 8, of The gious sanctuary to expand the notion of "sa­ Journal of Shasta Abbey (Shasta Abbey Press, cred space" to other fonns of life, inviting Mt. Shasta, california). people to bring their anima/l friends. We aim for justice in sacraments, making them 14. Artemis Ephesia 125-175 A.D. inclusive to reflect the Creator's concern for all life fonns. The heretofore invisible (nonhuman life) beoanes visible through af­ finnation and celebration. By standing up for anima/l rites, we stand up for anima/l MESSAGE rights.

Notes From a genecically-engineered beefeleplwnc I am weIl mixed up with this gene or that, 1. The slash here added to "animal" Making me grow big and lean - never fati serves to indicate that this 1I/Ord derives No cholesterol! For this a bow. a mighty cheer. fran "anima," a 1I/Ord for soul. My master. my mentor, mother-father, my engineer. But on one little item you made a huge snafu 2. Anna Kingsford, The Perfect ~ You gave me a heart that keeps saying "I love you," (London: Field & 'I\ler, Ye Leadenhall Presse, 1882) :48. 1can only cry out as you go to "put me down" ­ Please. a small heaT[ Oike yours) next time 'round . ... 3. Monday Morning is published by the Comnunications unit of the SUpp::>rt Agency, Ann Cottrell Free Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 475 Riverside o 1987. Ann CottNlll I"'r4f! T'f1pT'illtod vl1:b perwhsiOD Drive, New York city, NY 10115. of tile IW'f1t: rroa :!2 Ruoll3. s.,e In o:tllll ~ieorr­ P"IjfDg-i~~ IUUIft hro"el Pl..e. 'ft.W' .. WIll9I::.i"f1:n1'\~ D.C. 4. John Vyvyan, In Pity and in Anger 195 BElWEEN THE SPECIES