reflections on 'Dominion,' cntd.
A few more reflections from Sarah Cunningham based on her reading of Matthew Scully's Dominion (St. Martin's '02), and the often misunderstood, and misapplied, concept at the heart of the book ...
In the second Creation account, you will find the following words: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:15, New King James Version). The word tend, which comes from the Hebrew word abad, means “to serve.” And the word keep, which comes from the Hebrew word shamar, means “to exercise great care over.”
What do you think? Do these verses suggest a link between animals and care? I think they do.
Some other things I think about: If man is a reflection of God (made in his image), should we reflect his desires for our world? In other words, what would God want for current day animals? And if man is made from the dust of the earth (the name Adam comes from the word ground, which is adamah), does this suggest a connection to the earth? Not only that, but after giving man dominion, God immediately cautions them not to eat other creatures, emphasizing that food is for all creatures. So if Eden presented God's intended ideal for the world, a scenario which God considered “good,” does it follow that God would want us to preserve this goodness?
On another, but related, subject: Scully claims no ground can be gained for animal rights unless people can reach a common belief that there is such a thing as justice. “We must believe,” he says, “there is such a thing as truth.”
It is only after we agree truth exists, Scully suggests, that we can agree truth is worth pursuing and applying, as individuals ... and as a society. I find Scully’s words to be particularly challenging to people of faith, who are – by definition – supposed to be devoted to the pursuit of truth. If there is truth and justice when it comes to animals, a right and a wrong way to treat Creation (and I believe there is), people of faith should be drawn to seek it out and apply it.
Scully’s point that we must first agree there is such a thing as truth and second, agree to pursue and apply that truth lends insight beyond animal rights to all of life choices.
I’m committed to pursuing truth and applying it. I don’t always get it right, but I keep trying. Part of that effort is to move toward a more humane place regarding animal treatment. I'm making an attempt to sort out what that looks like for me right now (editor's note - hear more about the practical steps Sarah is taking in a few days).
Scully holds that there are times when your conscience tells you the truth about an issue. Even if the church hasn’t wrestled it into doctrine (I’ll add, not yet?). In light of this, he asks the reader to think about moral and spiritual approaches to animal rights.
Most of us are removed from today’s farming practices, so we may not be following how the meat industry has evolved to adopt slaughtering practices which are far less humane than the practices of our grandfathers. We should be careful, then, not to look down on animal rights activists, who may not all be as extreme as the media portrays them to be. Perhaps, in fact, they are merely educated about abuses that would be just as burdensome to the average citizen, if we were more informed.
I’ll go one step further. I’ve met Christians who fear activism, believing it puts animals in an improperly elevated place, a place above humans or a place of worship. This, however, strikes me as a misguided fear. And, in some cases, a convenient way to sidestep responsibility. Not to mention that it's illogical (and unfair?) to compare people who advocate mercy in slaughtering practices to remote and mostly ancient tribes who literally worship a specific animal.
Shouldn’t it be natural, even expected, for a person who claims to be moved by the love of God to be invested in protecting God’s creatures from unneeded suffering?
(Thanks again to Sarah Cunningham for these reflections, adapted from her posts "What Would God Consider 'Good' Now?", "There Is Such a Thing as Truth" and "Truths Written on Your Conscience" originally posted on her blog SarahCunningham.org (also see "Lost That Loving Feeling ...?"). Sarah recently published her second book, Picking Dandelions: A Search for Eden Among Life's Weeds. Photo courtesy Farm Sanctuary (©).)
February 20, 2010
Reader Comments (3)
'Shouldn’t it be natural, even expected, for a person who claims to be moved by the love of God to be invested in protecting God’s creatures from unneeded suffering?'
Yes, in my opinion it should be! I am extremely saddened by the lack of movement in the Christian community on this issue, and even more saddened that compassion towards animals and the adoption of a vegan lifestyle are not things that most people would associate with Christianity.
We are called to fight against injustice and to show mercy to those weaker than ourselves, and anyone who has even scratched the surface of the animal industry can see that it involves injustice and cruelty on an incomprehensible scale.
I'm really pleased to have found this blog, and epecially appreciate the book reviews since I have yet to read a book written from a Christian perspective on this issue.
I feel that being a vegan is a very important part of the way in which I live out my Christian faith, and I write my own blog about this. Please feel free to comment on any of my posts and raise concerns about things I might have missed - it's always great to have input from people who are also passionate about this issue!
http://theveganchristian.blogspot.com/
Thanks again; this is a great blog, and I'll definitely be following. :)
xxxx
I wish to thank everyone at "not one sparrow" for being what and who you are. I love this group on FB and am proud to be a member. I am delighted to read this blog and will post it on my blogroll.
When I read that passage regarding humankind having dominion over the earth and all that is in it, for me, it means that we are to be not only stewards, taking care of the King's creation and earthly domain, but it also implies compassion and caring for all living things, created before us, and therefore we are responsible for creation's welfare and life. I need to get this book and share it with others.
Thank you,
Catherine+, Episcopal hospital chaplain
Haley - thanks so much for your note, and the encouragement. We definitely touch on factory farming and farm animal abuse quite a bit as well, and I definitely see this as an urgent need for drastically better stewardship. Though we do try to lay out a range of compassionate eating options in response: humane, vegetarian and even vegan, in an attempt to honor the Bible's flexibility on this issue. I appreciate knowing about your blog as well, and look forward to following it as well!
Catherine, thank you as well for your very warm note, and it's a pleasure to connect with you as well, here on Facebook! Scully's book truly is excellent, and I do hope you have a chance to look into it more. - Ben