A Vegan Church?!

By Tanja Mancinelli with Pastor Rob Munro

To link veganism with religion is not necessarily the most obvious association one would make. But on second glance, the connection between the two seems indisputable. Most, if not all, religions have specific rules about food and diet, and many religions view vegetarianism if not as a religious obligation, then at least the best choice for humans and the rest of creation.

One of the moral imperatives from the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament or Torah is, “You shall not murder”, or as translated in the King James Bible, “You should not kill”.

Based on this commandment, an American faith leader, Pastor Rob Munro, founded the Saint Francis of Assisi Parish of The Humanitarian Church – a whole-food, plant-based vegan church. The place of worship is a pop-up canopy tent located on Sagamore Beach in Sandwich, Massachusetts, USA. A battery-operated public-address system makes it possible to stream the services online, and parishioners are welcome to use the private beach seven days a week or even spend the night camping. And of course, pets are welcome as well.

In his public letter to religious and spiritual leaders, Pastor Munro addresses different religious communities, asking them to seriously consider a plant-based diet for the sake of all creation:

Friends, all followers of faith, all spiritual leaders, all deacons, all priests, all preachers, all ministers, all bishops, all cardinals, all vicars, all pastors, all nuns, all monastics, all monks, all evangelists, all televangelists, all altar boys, all altar girls, all parsons, the most reverend, the pope, all rabbis, all lama’s, all high priests, all archbishops, all presidents of religious organizations, all missionaries, all gurus, all ayatollahs, all cantors, all believers of Christ, all followers of Islam, all Jews, all Hindus, all Buddhists, all believers in God, please, please, please, I beg you, I beseech you, I implore you, for the sake of the world, for the sake of your followers, for the sake of your children, for the sake of your parishioners, for the sake of all the generations to come, for the sake of all the animals, both wild and domestic and tragically farmed, hunted and tested upon, for the sake of all people alive and all to be born, for the sake of your soul, for the sake of peace on earth, for the sake of love, for the sake of compassion, for the sake of decency, for the sake of the environment, for the sake of spirituality, for the sake of religion, for the sake of the animals who do not wish to be killed, raped and tortured and for God’s sake… I implore you to become vegan.

To follow a vegan diet, as many scientists nowadays agree, is one of the most effective ways to preserve the planet and curb climate change. Feeding farmed animals with considerable amount of grains and water, then killing, processing and transporting them, often to far away destinations, is intensely energy consuming. Global deforestation is happening to provide pastureland and fields to grow crops for farmed animals. In addition to all of this, the animals themselves and their manure emit carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, all greenhouse gases which significantly contribute to climate change. According to an Oxford University study, published in the Journal “Climate Change”, meat eaters are responsible for twice as many dietary greenhouse-gas emissions as vegetarians and about two and a half times as many as vegan!

There is more than just a physical benefit to our land and body. Veganism is also a spiritual belief – and an important aspect in the practice of nonviolence towards other living beings and towards oneself. This perspective is supported by the Bible. In Genesis 1:30, we read:

“And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”

In Proverbs 12:10 it is stated:

“The righteous know the needs of their animals, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”

Veganism is not only supported by scriptures. It finds resonance in every walk of life, also amongst the “beautiful and famous” of the movie world. For vegan actress and producer Natalie Portman it is clear:

“Everyone has to find what is right for them, and it is different for everyone. Eating for me is how you proclaim your beliefs three times a day. That is why all religions have rules about eating. Three times a day, I remind myself that I value life and do not want to cause pain to or kill other living beings. That is why I eat the way I do.”

If animal welfare and planet protection are so highly regarded by religion, shouldn’t every one of us do the same?

More information on the Humanitarian Church of Pastor Munro can be found here.