Loving Our Neighbors

The Intersection of Faith, Human Well-being, and Our Relationships with Animals

    It has been some time since I have posted anything here, but I do hope to get back to it before too long.  In the meantime, I wanted to share some links to a series of talks I did in February at St. Alban's Church in Washington, DC.  In these talks, I hoped to introduce the idea that our own well-being is inexorably bound with the well-being of our fellow creatures, and that our mistreatment of animals has led to significant human harms, including being a major contributor to climate change, air and water pollution, environmental justice, worker exploitation, personal and public health concerns, and confronting us with serious ethical and theological challenges.  To me, none of this should be surprising.  If you have read any of the earlier posts in this blog, then you likely know that it is my view that our creation God's image is a job description, imposing on humans the obligation to reflect God's loving kindness and mercy outward toward the rest of creation, and in particular to our fellow creatures of God.  We should not be surprised if, when we fail so utterly at this first commission given to us - a commission thoroughly enmeshed with what it means to be human - that things do not go well for us.   

    This four-part series touches only briefly on so many important topics, with the hope of encouraging wider discussion within the parish about things that we might do differently - as individuals and as a parish.  Part One introduces how human relations to animals, in particular the animals raised for food, has caused so many problems for humans.  Part Two considers what scripture has to say about animals and their place in God's creation.  Part Three looks at animal sentience, and Part Four looks at how we are actually treating the animals and what we can do differently.  

    Each part occasioned good and thoughtful discussion.  Most gratifying to me were comments after part one, from folks grateful to finally be hearing these issues raised in the church.  

    Here are the links.  I hope you find them useful, and I would be delighted to hear you comments.  

Thank you. 

Part One: How Our Treatment of Animals Impacts Us

Part Two: Animals and Scripture 

Part Three: Who Are the Animals?  

Part Four: How Do We Treat The Animals? And What Can We Do Differently?