Dominion Over Wildlife?: An Environmental Theology of Human-Wildlife Relations

Description: For centuries Christians believed that God granted humanity dominion over the animal kingdom meaning that we had a moral right to kill manage and eat animals including wildlife. Recently however environmental and animal rights activists have assaulted this traditional perspective. They argue that dominion as expressed in meat eating and hunting has resulted in species extinction and environmental degradation. Christian Animal Rights (CAR) activists suggest that the church must reevaluate its traditional beliefs in light of the fact that Gods original creation was free of human on animal violence. God they argue did not want mans dominion to be expressed through trapping killing and eating of animals. These violent activities only came about after the Fall as God condescended to our hardness of heart. CAR activists point to Christs sacrificial work of reconciliation as a model for modern Christian behavior: as Christ sacrificed for us we should avoid eating meat and hunting as ways we can participate in Christs non-violent work of reconciling creation to himself. In this book Stephen Vantassel investigates the biblical ethical and scientific arguments employed by the CAR movement concerning human-wildlife relations. In this regard the book engages in practical theology by addressing several important questions: How should Christians treat our wildlife neighbors? Has the Church been wrong in its understanding of human dominion? Does God want Christians to avoid hunting trapping fishing and adopt a vegetarian lifestyle? This book provides answers to these questions by detailing a theology the author calls Shepherdism. Endorsements: Using both Old and New Testament references Stephen Vantassel very effectively defends trapping hunting fishing and all animal use from the claims of the Christian Animal Rights movement . . . This book is essential reading for Christians and non-Christians alike. Not only does it clarify the issue of animal use it allows people to use the Bible to defend themselves from attacks by animal rights activists. And it enlarges our awareness of our relationship with the physical world. Vantassel has given us the gift of increasing our consciousness thereby expanding our ability to worship God. --Bob Noonan Editor Wildlife Control Technology About the Contributor(s): Stephen M. Vantassel is Project Coordinator for Wildlife Damage Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a tutor at Kings Evangelical Divinity School in Wales United Kingdom. In addition to his numerous articles authored on the subject on the of humanitys relationship to wildlife he is the author of The Wildlife Removal Handbook rev. ed. and The Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook rev. ed. He presently lives with his wife Donna in Lincoln Nebraska.