An insider's view of the birth of a Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion...
by Michael BrunerThe voice at the other end of the phone asked me whether I’d ever had a significant spiritual experience related to animals. I was stymied. I’d never been asked that question before. I sat back in my chair, took a breath, and thought for a moment. Then I said, “Well, I suppose I should tell you about Annie and Rosebud…”
And so began my relationship with Best Friends and with 30 fellow religious leaders who I would eventually meet at the Best Friends sanctuary in Kanab, Utah last July. Best Friends had canvassed their membership for clergy of any and all faith traditions who might be interested in coming together with other faith leaders to talk about how religious groups could become more actively involved in animal welfare. What began, I’m sure, as a wild experiment on the part of BF eventually became an exhibition in rich interfaith dialogue, and what was accomplished at the 3-day retreat last summer by people representing over 20 faith traditions exceeded everyone’s expectations.
It didn’t hurt, of course, that we were gathered in the most beautiful square mile on the continent. And being in proximity to over one thousand rescued animals certainly served as inspiration for the work we were about. As the sun set over the canyon on the last day and we were saying our goodbyes after a wonderful dinner at Angel’s Landing (a large, outdoor natural amphitheater), it was clear to everyone that something special had taken place, and the spirit with which the work was done would, we were sure, shine through the Proclamation we had forged from our common experiences with animals and faith.
“A Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion” is a 3-page document that, at first glance, doesn’t seem like much. There are no rhetorical flourishes, no poignant images to conjure up tears, no calls to action that stir the soul. And yet, in this simply worded but profoundly thoughtful document, a clear message is conveyed: compassion for animals makes the world a better place, not just for them, but for all of us. In less than a thousand words, the possibility of real change for the sake of animals is summoned, and one feels when one reads this document that if the religious groups to whom we are writing truly take this summoning to heart, the world will actually change for the better.
Best Friends had never intended to keep what resulted from the retreat hidden under a bushel, as it were. But once they saw what their experiment had wrought, it became even more evident that the world needed to see the result. And so, on November 7th of this year,
“A Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion,” written by a varied group of religious leaders from around the country and beyond, will be revealed to the world. Most of the original religious leaders who co-wrote the document will be in attendance, and some will share why they chose to be involved in this project to begin with and what the proclamation means for their particular faith tradition. More importantly, however, people will see what can be accomplished when a disparate group of leaders of faith come together for a united purpose.
I’ve often wondered since whether any other purpose could have elicited such a congenial meeting of the minds among traditions that are often at odds with each other. It is a tribute to the faith of Best Friends, certainly, that this could happen, but perhaps more significantly, it’s a tribute to the gift that animals are to each of us and to this planet that somehow, with them in mind, we could come together for a spirited three days to (let me say it) change the world.
Photo courtesy of the Association for Global New Thought. Click here for more information about the association and its current Season for Interfaith Celebration.