Father Jamie Parsley is the rector at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Fargo, North Dakota. He’s a longtime vegan and enthusiastic animal advocate, and we’re delighted to introduce him to you in this informative interview.
Can you share the story behind the stained-glass window with a vegan message at St. Stephen’s?
St. Stephen’s has long been the social justice parish of the Diocese of North Dakota. It has been committed for half a century to making sure that women, LGBTIQ+ people, and everyone else is fully welcomed, and, more importantly, fully included in parish life. As a result, community members are very progressive in their views on a variety of issues that are relevant to our society, and we attract many people to our parish who hold those views and are able to find a spiritual home with us. One of those people was Ron Richard, who, when he was a parishioner at St. Stephen’s, founded Fargo-Moorhead Vegan and Vegetarian Society (known as FM Veg), a community of local vegans and vegetarians. Ron was a longtime vegan and animal rights activist who really made a major difference in our community and in our parish. He tragically died in 2009. The window is dedicated to his memory and to the hard work he did to promote veganism and nonviolence toward animals. I miss Ron greatly.
How did your journey to becoming a priest begin?
I had wanted to be a priest since I was 13 years old. I had a very strong calling at that age, which stayed with me through my teens and into my 20s while I pursued other interests. After a period of time during which I pursued a master of fine arts degree in poetry and published several books of poems, I decided finally to heed the call, and I was ordained to the priesthood in 2004. I always joke about the fact that I feel like a natural-born priest because I took to it very easily. And after 20 years, I still love it—even on those days when it’s difficult.
We love to see vegan clergy! How does your faith influence your vegan living?
I am very much a believer in nonviolence. My understanding of Christianity and following Jesus is very much a path of nonviolence that includes the animals who are our companions on Earth. I cannot believe that God truly wants us to exploit, torture, and murder animals for our own purposes as we do now in our society and around the world.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a vegan priest?
I have had many challenges. Being a vegan priest also means being a vegan leader. And although I try not to proselytize too much about veganism because I know people get turned off pretty quickly, at the same time, I don’t hide my flame under a bushel. I speak out on this issue regularly, and I make sure people know where I stand. I make clear that I am a vegan on ethical grounds and not only for my health. And I have no problem letting people know where I stand and that my veganism is an important part of my life, my faith, and my vocation as a priest. The challenge I have more than any other is the fact that people just don’t understand what veganism is. When I’m doing visitations, when I am at a wedding reception, or when I am at a supper, people really don’t quite get that veganism is not the same as vegetarianism or simply that being vegan means I don’t consume fish, eggs, or milk.
How has your commitment to animal rights influenced your faith community?
To piggyback off my last answer, I think one of the greatest things that happens is when people do, in fact, “get it” and are so proud to share with me some vegan dish they found online. Or when they decided to help make life better for animals. Or when they decide to change their eating habits to support nonviolence. Also, at St. Stephen’s there is almost always a vegan option at the coffee hour following Sunday services. They do a great job of being aware of the wide variety of needs for people and animals in this world. I am lucky to be their priest!
