Introduction
Christianity and animals
Lamb
For most of history Christians largely ignored animal suffering.
Christian thinkers believed that human beings were greatly superior to animals. They taught that human beings could treat animals as badly as they wanted to because people had few (if any) moral obligations towards animals.
Modern Christians generally take a much more pro-animal line. They think that any unnecessary mistreatment of animals is both sinful and morally wrong.
The traditional Christian view
When early theologians looked at "nature red in tooth and claw" they concluded that it was a natural law of the universe that animals should be preyed on and eaten by others. This was reflected in their theology.
Christian thinking downgraded animals for three main reasons:
- God had created animals for the use of human beings and human beings were therefore entitled to use them in any way they want
- Animals were distinctively inferior to human beings and were worth little if any moral consideration, because:
- humans have souls and animals don't
- humans have reason and animals don't
- Christian thought was heavily humano-centric and only considered animals in relation to human beings, and not on their own terms
Animals and saints
Not all leading Christians disparaged animals. Some of the saints demonstrated that virtuous Christians treated animals respectfully and kindly:
- St Antony of Padua preached to fishes
- St Francis of Assisi preached to the birds and became the most popular pro-animal Christian figure
- Cows are protected by St Brigit
- St Columba told his monks to care for a crane
- St Brendan was helped in his voyage by sea monsters