Biovinity at the 2015 Parliament

At the 2015 Parliament of the World's Religions in Salt Lake City, I attended the "first animal-related session in the history of the Parliament," Revisioning the Human-Animal Relationship, facilitated by Episcopal priest, Anne Benvenuti, author and scholar Paul Waldau, author and scholar Veena Howard, and head representative of the Yoruba tradition Wande Abimbola and his wife. The session focused on spiritual traditions' views and responsibilities related to our animal brothers and sisters and revolved around Thomas Berry's "communion of subjects...". I made the final comments, describing the origin and meaning of the "new word," biovinity.