Allen Guelzo wrote Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President, a 1999 book that challenged the reigning thought about Lincoln’s faith – basically, that he had little, if any. He is a professor of Civil War era history at Gettysburg College.

James Serpell is a professor of humane ethics and animal welfare at the University of Pennsylvania’s school of veterinary medicine. He directs the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society.

Andrew Isenberg is a history professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. He is an expert on the history of American environmentalism, especially in the American West. He contributed a chapter on the moral ecology of wildlife to the book Representing Animals.

Kerry Walters is a philosophy professor at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pa. With Lisa Portmess, she co-authored two books, one about the history of religious vegetarianism and the other on the history of ethical vegetarianism.

Lisa Portmess is a philosophy professor at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pa. With Kerry Walters, she co-authored two books, one about the history of religious vegetarianism and the other on the history of ethical vegetarianism.

The Lakshmi Cow Sanctuary in Bangor, Pa., rescues cows headed for slaughter because, among other things, “cows are dear to Lord Krishna.” Its founder is Sankar Sastri. Contact through the website.

July 8, 2013, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article about the tough decision to evict homeless from a Pittsburgh underpass.

The Rev. Patricia D. Brown is director of Spiritworks, a nonprofit, online resource for the exploration of Judeo-Christian spirituality. She is the author of Paths to Prayer: Finding Your Own Way to the Presence of God. She is based in Pittsburgh.

Janet Ruth Falon is a creative writing teacher and the author of The Jewish Journaling Book: How to Use Jewish Tradition to Write Your Life and Explore Your Soul.