''Animal Theology'' is a 1994 book by the ethicist and theologian

Andrew Linzey Andrew Linzey (born 2 February 1952) is an English Anglican priest, theologian, and prominent figure in Christian vegetarianism. He is a member of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oxford, and held the world's first academic post in Et ...

, that examines the treatment and status of animals from a theological perspective.

Summary

In the book, Linzey reconsiders what Christians see to be God's original plan for humanity's ruling of nature. He argues against previous conceptions of this connection which have been used to justify

animal cruelty Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse, animal neglect or animal cruelty, is the infliction by omission (neglect) or by commission by humans of suffering or Injury, harm upon non-human animals. More narrowly, it can be the causing of harm ...

, instead claiming that such a relationship instead implies that the mission laid out by God is a model of generosity towards the oppressed and vulnerable, which is applicable to both humans and other animals.

Reception

The American philosopher

Daniel Dombrowski Daniel A. Dombrowski (born 1953) is an American philosopher and professor emeritus of philosophy at Seattle University. He was the president of the Metaphysical Society of America (2018–19). Career Dombrowski has authored twenty books and ov ...

, described the book in positive terms, stating that "what Linzey calls the 'generosity paradigm'" is a valuable concept that Christianity can contribute to the

animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...

debate. Bronislaw Szerszynski criticised Linzey's view regarding "animal experiments, hunting, meat-eating and genetic engineering", summing it up with the phrase "don't do it", as "too absolutist", for failing to acknowledge the complexities of the modern moral landscape. Linzey's book was reviewed from three different perspectives in the Baptist theological journal ''Review & Expositor'': theological,

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

and

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

. Sally Smith Holt described ''Animal Theology'' as a "worthwhile endeavor in Christian scholarship", that will nevertheless, "not convince all Christians to become vegetarians". Mark McEntire claims that the Old Testament lacks sufficient content to be a basis of Linzey's generosity ethic. David D. May in his review, drew attention to Linzey's repudiation of elements of the New Testament, stating "special pleading does not do justice to text-segments that would be problematic for an animal theology."

Editions

''Animal Theology'' has been translated into French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese.{{Cite web, title=Director, url=https://www.oxfordanimalethics.com/who-we-are/director/, access-date=2020-07-19, website=Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, language=en-US

References

1994 non-fiction books Animal ethics books Books about animal rights Christian theology books Christian vegetarianism English-language books SCM Press books

Summary

Reception

Editions

See also

References