Animals as Religious Subjects

This book examines one of the most pressing cultural concerns that surfaced in the last decade - the question of the place and significance of the animal. This collection of essays represents the outcome of various conversations regarding animal studies and shows multidisciplinarity at its very best, namely, a rigorous approach within one discipline in conversation with others around a common theme. The contributors discuss the most relevant disciplines regarding this conversation, namely: philosophy, anthropology, religious studies, theology, history of religions, archaeology and cultural studies. The first section, Thinking about Animals, explores philosophical, anthropological and religious perspectives, raising general questions about the human perception of animals and its crucial cultural significance. The second section explores the intriguing topic of the way animals have been used historically as religious symbols and in religious rituals. The third section re-examines some Christian theological and biblical approaches to animals in the light of current concerns. The final section extends the implications of traditional views about other animals to more specific ethical theories and practices.

Animals as Religious Subjects is a timely work ... Divided into four sections, [it] addresses the issue of nonhuman religious subjects from the perspectives of religious thought, symbolism, enquiry, and ethics, thus offering a rich tapestry of scholarly responses from numerous disciplines to the question what role animals might play as religious subjects. Herein lies the strength of the book ... [It] will undoubtedly prove important for all those who consider animals central to any religious enterprise., The title of this book may well surprise some readers who have never thought of animals as having any religious connotations. However, it is a groundbreaking book as it presents a wealth of perspectives from a wide variety of writers.

Celia Deane-Drummond is Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, USA.David L. Clough is Professor of Theological Ethics and Head of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Chester, UK.Rebecca Artinian-Kaiser is a doctoral student in theology, specializing in environmental ethics, at the University of Chester, UK.