Church Times By Christine MilesTEN YEARS AGO, the organisation now called Veg4Lent wrote to Anglican and Roman Catholic clergy around the country to ask whether they and their congregations would consider undertaking a vegetarian diet as part of their response to Lent. Veg4Lent had a long religious tradition to appeal to: it reflects the centuries-old tradition of abstaining from meat in the 40 days before Easter Sunday. In countries where Shrove Tuesday is known as Carnival — Italian: Carnevale — the name itself derives from the Latin for "meat" and "putting away". For the tenth year running, Veg4Lent is now asking Christians of all denominations to think about a vegetarian diet during Lent again, as a way of identifying with not only Christ’s suffering, but that of creation. For an increasing number of Christians, however, vegetarianism is an issue of conscience for life. Reflecting this growing interest, the Christian Vegetarian Association UK (CVAUK) — which supports Veg4Lent — was formed 15 months ago. (There is no equivalent vegan association.)
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 CHURCH OF ENGLAND bishops have declined an invitation to give up meat for Lent.Veg4Lent, a campaign sponsored by the Christian Vegetarian Association, asked nearly 60 bishops to support its Vegetarian Lent initiative. The bishops, a quarter of whom replied, were also asked to comment on five specific related concerns. |
VEG4LENTReviving the ancient Christian Tradition of abstaining from meat consumption during Lent, we respectfully invite all Christians to use VEG4LENT as a period of reflection and prayer for all those currently condemned to the slaughterhouse. As a contemporary adaptation of an ancient tradition, we politely urge each participant to adopt a vegetarian diet for each and every day between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Lent is a sacred and spiritual period for Christians the world over. Greater empathy with Christ, gained during the Lenten period, allows us to be more receptive to the needs of our neighbour. As Christ taught us our neighbour is s/he who suffers. Are there any who suffer more than those condemned to the slaughterhouse? |
The association’s aim is to promote the care of all God’s creation through the adoption of a vegetarian diet and avoidance of animal-based products. It also endeavours to alert the Church to the contribution a vegetarian diet can make towards human health and world stability - through its contribution to the environmental agenda and poverty reduction. "It’s been very difficult to get the issue of vegetarianism talked about seriously in the Church, and we get very little support," says Don Gwillim, spokesman for CVAUK.