Recently, The Progressive Radio Show had a great interview with Bruce Friedrich, vice president for policy and government affairs at PETA. During the conversation, Friedrich responded to several challenging questions about PETA’s tactics, drew connections between his Christian faith, his veganism and his activism on behalf of nonhuman animals, and discussed his book The Animal Activist’s Handbook, which he co-authored with Matt Ball (co-founder of Vegan Outreach). You can download the MP3 at the Progressive Web site. We also have it here.

Truth be told, I am highly critical of the way PETA’s public campaigns often reinforce sexism in their efforts to combat speciesism, and the way they don’t seem to make deep connections between ALL oppressions as evidenced by their ill-conceived KKK-action (see Humans are also animals article for a pretty solid critique). That said, I think Friedrich is very thoughtful and candid, and he makes some excellent points about why our call to nonviolence and mercy as Jesus-followers should be extended to nonhuman animals, and why our concern for nonhuman animals does not mean disregard for human suffering.

We’ve got more exciting updates on the New Heaven, New Earth: Anarchism and Christianity Beyond Empire conference, so here goes:

More Speakers
The speakers keep on coming with Layla AbdelRahim (left) and Eileen Fleming (right) joining the list of presenters. Layla brings her anti-authoritarian perspective and critical work on domestication of parenthood and childhood to the session, “A Lullaby for the Planet: Undressing Ourselves for a Viable Parenthood.” In addition, Eileen will reflect on her many trips to Israel and the Occupied Territories in her struggle to end the military occupation of Palestinian land, will be speaking on “Nonviolence in the Holy Land.”

Housing
Although we are still looking for conference housing, we are encouraging attendees to check the free and low cost options we have posted on the Web site until further notice. If you have suggestions for housing in Memphis (church gym, hostel, cheap motel) or can host some folks, please e-mail “jesusradicals at jesusradicals dot com”

Support the conference
This year, we especially need funds to assist speakers with their travel expenses. So if you’re willing and able, please visit the donate area or hit up the MP3 section and contribute to this event.

September 4-7, 2009
19183 Plow Creek Road
Tiskilwa, IL

CALLING ALL WOMEN: You’re invited to a weekend of community and camping; hanging with old friends and making new ones; nature; discussion of anarcha-primitivism theory and practice; and what it means to be a woman in the Church. The communitarian nature of this gathering includes shared labor, including cooking, and cleaning up after the communal meals. Female children of all ages are encouraged to come and participate in every aspect of the weekend. Unless women at the gathering decide to organize a separate child care space, the kids are welcome in every activity.

Sessions and events

The cost of this event is free. For details and registration, e-mail Miranda — mandysue02 at yahoo dot com

Individual sessions and collections from the 2005-2008 anarchism and Christianity conferences are now available for online purchase and download. All proceeds are used to fund the annual event, which has been free for attendees since 2002. Head over to the conference MP3s page for more details.

If you are a hyper-recycler that hates to throw things out and has managed to collect several piles of unusable but non-recyclable stuff, then this might be your chance to rid yourselves of at least one kind of item. National Geographic is working with Cotton from Blue to Green to collect tons and tons of denim (jeans, jackets, etc) for reuse as housing insulation. The jeans MUST be shipped to NG Kids / Set a Guinness World Record P.O. Box 98001 Washington, D.C. 20090-8001 by June 30, 2009:

Get more information on how to ship your items (it’s really easy) and don’t forget to let others know. Recycling old, dirty, torn up jeans might not stop global warming, but every little bit helps.

Earlier this year, Wipf and Stock published a new book by author Tripp York on Christianity and anarchism titled Living on Hope While Living in Babylon: The Christian Anarchists of the 20th Century. In the book, York examines a few twentieth century Christians who lived such a witness, including the Berrigan brothers, Dorothy Day, and Eberhard Arnold. In so doing, he addresses how the politics of the church—an apocalyptic politic—is necessary to understand its mission.

Endorsements
“York performs an important service in illuminating the anarchist sensibilities of Christian scriptures and discipleship, an area surely meriting further scholarly and pastoral exploration…” — Michael L. Budde, DePaul University, author of Christianity Incorporated: How Big Business is Buying the Church

The New Heaven, New Earth: Anarchism and Christianity Beyond Empire conference is only three months away and things have definitely been motoring along since our last update.

Community Tour–Grow Memphis
For the past few years, we’ve been glad to move the conference beyond the meeting rooms and out into our host communities to see where the Spirit of renewal and resistance is already at work. This year, we’re glad to keep up that tradition with a community tour featuring GrowMemphis. GrowMemphis is a collaborative effort between the Mid-South Peace and Justice and three low-income communities. It’s aim is to turn “vacant lots into thriving centers of community” by creating productive and educational urban community gardens that empower people to develop and enhance their own communities. We thank GrowMemphis for sharing their work with us.

Speaker updates
We’re confirmed two new speakers with others still in the works. Joining the current line-up are Ellul scholar, professor and author Gene Davenport, and long-time member of Jubilee Economic Ministries Lee Van Ham. Gene will be joining Jeannie Alexander on a panel discussing the relevance of Biblical jubilee for our time, while Lee will be part of the newly added “Seeing What Greenspan Couldn’t: A New, Partnership Economy” session. As usual you can find detailed bios on the speakers page.

Sessions posted
A preliminary conference schedule is now available on the sessions page. Attendees and people who are considering coming to the event can get more details on timing of the event and the sessions being offered. More session descriptions will be added over the next few weeks.

Support the conference
Thanks to all who have generously contributed to the conference so far. The budget has been updated since a few weeks ago and we are planning to add more MP3s of past conferences over the next few weeks to ensure this event remains free.

SUBMIT YOUR ART FOR THE 2009 CONFERENCE POSTER
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 30

The organizers of the seventh annual anarchism and Christianity conference are looking for artwork on the theme, “New Heaven, New Earth: Anarchism and Christianity Beyond Empire” for use in this year’s outreach material. Given the short notice of our initial call for submissions, the deadline has been extended to May 30. As previously noted, art can be in color or in black and white, and should be easily printed on an 8.5 x 11 in. flier and on an 11 x 17 in. poster.

Read the original call for artwork
For submission instructions, visit forums.jesusradicals.com/announcement.php?f=22

The 2009 Jesus Radicals conference, New Heaven, New Earth: Anarchism and Christianity Beyond Empire continues to come together and we’ve got a few things to report. For other details, including the conference location, check out the conference section.

Speakers
We’re confirmed several new speakers, including award-winning author and political activist, Ewuare X. Osayande. We’re also blessed to have Jeannie Alexander from the Amos House Catholic Worker, in Nashville and Ethan Hughes from the The Possibility Alliance, a radically sustainable intentional community in Missouri. Check the speakers page for bios and session titles.

Artists wanted
As previously announced, we’re looking for artwork that reflects the conference theme for use in this year’s publicity. Art can be in color or in black and white, and should be easily printed on an 8.5 x 11 in. flier and on an 11 x 17 in. poster. The submission deadline is May 15, 2009 so check out the call for artists for details.

Support the conference
Each year we plan this event with the goal of making it free for all who want to attend. Please consider making a donation or purchasing MP3s from past conferences to help make this happen again this year.

More updates on the 2009 Jesus Radicals conference, New Heaven, New Earth: Anarchism and Christianity Beyond Empire!

Speakers
We have just confirmed a new speaker: John Zerzan.

John Zerzan is a leading theorist of the anti-civilization/anarchist movement. He has spoken around the world on rebuilding society based rejection of the technological society and an embracing of the wild. Zerzan’s ideas feature prominently in and were one of the main inspirations for the anarchism section of the Jesus Radicals site as well. He is the main editor of Green Anarchy Magazine and has authored numerous books, including, Elements of Refusal, (1999); Against Civilization, (1999); Running On Emptiness, (2002), Twilight of the Machines (2008). He is also the host of Anarchy Radio in Eugene, Oregon on the University of Oregon’s radio station KWVA.

Early Registration
We now have an early registration page up and running.

Donate
As usual, we count on your support to make the conference a free event each year. Please consider helping us out by either purchasing MP3s from the 2008 conference, or stopping by the donate page.