Christianity and the Vegetarian Diet

This assignment examines the growing trend of vegetarianism within Christianity. It analyzes biblical teachings from both the Old and New Testaments to determine their implications for dietary choices. The essay explores the ethical considerations surrounding animal consumption, focusing on Christian values such as compassion, justice, and stewardship. It also considers the impact of industrial farming practices on both animals and human health, arguing that a vegetarian diet aligns with a more sustainable and compassionate lifestyle.

Running head: ETHICS
Should Christians adopt Vegetarian diet: Focus on Christian Ethics
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Introduction
The age old debate on whether Christians are having obligations to follow a vegetarian
diet or the vegetarian diet is going on for centuries. Religions and their relationship with the
animals are expected at the mind of people and that is why, this topic is being raised debatable.
Most of the religions take into consideration certain laws of diet (Dombowski, 2014). For
example, the Old Testament lists down the rules for the food, which are being followed by the
various religions. However, the maximum Christians today are having economic and health
concerns rather than pondering theologically. Against this background, Christians these days
started revaluating about the status of animals and they are growing their concerns for the lives
of the animals (Dombowski, 2014).
Discussion
Mr.Orland regarding Christian Ethics stated that, if meat is eaten, an ethical approach
must be followed while raising animals and give acknowledgement to the fact that while killing
them, no pain is given to them . When they are being killed, that should be done with the
minimum pain and sufferings are possible. However, the other academics took more radically
natured stances (Grumet, 2013). One of the speakers at the Oxford Conference, Corinne Painter
delivered lecture that there is a present of gap between preaches and practices of the Christianity.
Dr. Painter thinks that Christians do carry responsibilities to abstain them from having drink and
meat and he thinks the Christians should follow a vegan diet (Seesengood, 2014). According to
him, Christians must have the moral duty to have food, which is not the consequences of undue
suffering, unjustified treatment or the human caused premature death of the sentiment beings,

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who are completely interested in preventing suffering and preserving their lives, which God
stated explicitly that they are good and valuable (Seesengood, 2014).
Christianity and Vegetarianism
In Australia, when the Christians are asked about the morality of taking life of animals
and having them, the reply that came from many Christians was mainly based on the biblical
teachings. They mainly emphasized on the fact that Bible gives teachings that the animals are
mainly regarded as nation of mankind, and sacrificing those animals in order to fulfil the purpose
of eating services to the humans, is permissible (Linzey, 2016). However, despite accepting this
animal inferiority ethos within the premise of the Western Christianity, the facts remain when the
passages of script in relation to the welfare of animals are viewed from a bigger context. Which
should be further incorporated in the Christianity messages of atonement, grace have been
developed throughout the course of Bible. Even there is a presence of a stronger argument,
which would promote the better treatment of the animals. As a result, stronger Biblical case is
adopting the complete abstinence from the animal products and meat, which have been taught for
many years (Linzey, 2016).
By going against the practices of Augustine and Aquinas, there are some of famous
Christian theologians, teachers and leaders, who were pure vegetarians, have put forwarded their
view that the consumption of meat opposes the Biblical messages of compassion and love. The
act of killing and devouring animals is considered to be unhealthy for both the planet and for
mankind.
There are numerous conflicting passages in the Bible, which has taken into consideration
the way animals fit into the creation and the process the humans follow in order to initiate

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interaction with animals. Throughout the Old Testament, the texts are elaborating the sacrifices
of the animals and subordination of animal ethos, intermixing with those people speaking on the
sanctity of animals and their capacity to both praise and reason God. However, in the New
Testament, the paradoxes of the teaching practices are continuing. In many verses, the imagery
of animals has been used to reflect not only the correct attributes but also even Lord himself. In
many verses, Jesus has been referred to the Lamb of God. In Matthew 23:37, it is written that
Jesus compares his personal love for Jerusalem to that of a mother hen, taking care of her chicks
(Koosed, 2014).
Hermeneutics applied on animals
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the
lion and the yearling together…. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down
together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den; the
young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on my holy
mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea”
(Isaiah 11: 6-9).
Throughout the narration given by Genesis is that the Garden of Eden was vegan in
nature. Virtually the scholars generally agree that prophetic stanzas in the Isaiah’s writing give
the description of the eternal kingdom of Lord. It is a place where the killing of any animals is
completely forbidden and as a result, the existence of the peace would prevail. Through the
description of the Garden of Eden and the account of Isaiah, it is cleared that God expects a
world without killing and violence (Filyanina, 2014). The ideals of the accounts are being rightly
pointed before us. The excuse that motivates people is that killing of animals is mandatory for

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the purpose of food or the products. However, the people of this world are capable of leading a
life without any killing. Moreover, it can be said that when it comes to the murdering of another
living creature, the act goes beyond the normal human nature. Leo Tolstoy has pointed out that
Man’s opposition to killing is stronger. However, by following the assertions of Lord, who has
allowed it, and, to top it, by the sense of habit, people has entirely lost their natural feeling,
which was imbibed in them in the beginning (Filyanina, 2014).
Reasons to adopt vegetarianism
According to Dr. Richard Alan Young, who is a famous Biblical scholar and the author
of the book “Is God a Vegetarian?”, pointed out that the horrors in the present modern industry
farming and vivisection ( Where animals are used in the scientific experiments and testing of
products) did not exist during the biblical times (Clough, 2017). He has stated that these random
acts of barbarism and brutality under the limelight of the unimaginable sufferings are inflicted
upon the creatures of God and there are completely no means by which God will forgive or
accept such ill acts.
The Christians these days have pointed out that as the consumption of vegetarian meal is
importantly useful for the human beings and for the planet Earth, there cannot be any excuse for
people to defend their act of eating meat (Clough, 2017). Researchers have proved that people
who are either vegans or vegetarians usually lead a longer and a healthier life. On the other hand,
the non- vegetarians suffer from heart diseases, colon cancer and other health related problems
for consuming meat at a higher rate (Amato & Partridge, 2013).
In the year 2006, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization has reported that the global
meat producing factories made its contribution to more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere of

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Earth than all the emissions of all trucks, airlines, cars and other transportations. Animal rearing
and animal agriculture is also regarded as one of every the important factors in the water
pollution and deforestation across the globe. The transformation of plant food to meat wastes
approximately contains 68% of the protein and 95% of the calories and all the fibers (Koosed,
2014).
The leaders of Church have finally begun to see the consumption and production of mean
as an absolute sin. Consumption of meat is considered to be the worst way to make the human
bodies and the planet survive. Consumption of meat ruins as well as inflicts anguishes in the
mind of innocent animals, which were the creation of the God. While committing such heinous
crimes, people forget that these innocent animals came to earth to cherish a life full of freedom
just like the humans (Koosed, 2014).Most of the Christians accordingly would agree that cruelty
happening to animals is both unchristian and immoral, however, many people go to lengths to
deny the suffering that the animals are facing in order to satisfy their taste buds. Animals in the
firms, according to most of the Christians animals must be given protection from the sufferings.
The Christians in United States have pointed out that God has created every animal with
wants, needs and desires. God has created pigs in such a way that it is their natural instinct to
play around and take bath in the muddy ditches. God has designed chicken to build nests, lay
eggs and raise the chicks. God has given lives to the animals with a hope to remain cheerful and
remain happy in the earth instead being served on the dishes for the human beings (Amato &
Partridge, 2013). From this perspective, with their belief, it can be stated that Christians must
turn into vegetarian. As per the Old Testament, some Christians do believe that the Bible
provides explanation in the future that both animals and human beings would adopt vegan diet
(Koosed, 2014). Some people at the same time believe that the Book of Daniel particularly

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promotes veganism as the mode of empowering. Daniel particularly refuses the meat from king
and instead of those, requests vegetables from the king. However, the present theology presented
the argument that in this instance, Hananiah, Azariah and Daniel have rejected food, which has
proved to be unholy.
During the time of Lent, some communities of Christians such as Orthodox Christians
take partial fasting; they eat generally per day one light meal. For the Orthodox Christians, all the
meals during the period of 40 days are cooked without the products of animals and are
essentially vegan. Even the Eastern Orthodox has lately abstained themselves from having
animal products. A shift can be seen presently regarding the transformation of the Christians
slowly to vegetarianism (Amato & Partridge, 2013). By taking into account both Old and New
Testaments, it can be stated that Christianity prevents any kinds of cruelty to animals. The
central teaching of Jesus incorporates compassion, love and mercy and it is as well tough to
imagine Jesus looking upon the current factory farms and the slaughterhouses and give
permission to consume meat happily. Christians always have strived to help and support the
hungry and poor folks. Though, as per the present scenario, the cruel act of killing and devouring
animals have proved the inefficiency against that ministry. In the United States of America, 67%
of the food grains are being used as the animal fodder just for slaughtering them. It has been
pointed out that because an increasing level of meat consumption that the rich minority in the
world is having an unfair share of the availability of food. Knowing these deleterious impacts
about the animal products on the health of the human beings, Christians are gradually moving to
the plant based diet (Amato & Partridge, 2013).
Another primary reason for the Christians to become vegetarian because to render
support to the basic rights of the human. Christians believe that the only means by which one can

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care about the sufferings of others is by having a vegetarian diet (Ruby, 2012). As per the New
Testament, it is important to take into consideration about the suffering from others. Another
important reason to promote a well health is due to the fact that vegetarian promotes better health
to the human beings. As Jesus pointed out “Whatever you do to the least of weapon of war and
sweep them off the earth, so that all living creatures may lie down without living in fear”.
Christians are today are looking forward to live a non- violent life like that of Jesus Christ (Ruby,
2012).
Conclusion
To conclude it can be stated that, after going through the principles of Christianity and
their immense support to the human rights, Christianity is slowly adopting the vegetarian diet
and it is justifiable. The religion is the main component of a person’s life and a person’s value
depends upon the teachings of their religion. The topic further supported this statement and
elaborated with the help from Old Testament and New Testament ideologies and the
contemporary issremoveues. Therefore, that it is important for not only Christians but for the
human beings to convert themselves to vegetarianism as the animals have the right to live their
liberal life.

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References
Amato, P. R., & Partridge, S. A. (2013). The new vegetarians: Promoting health and protecting
life. Springer.
Clough, D. L. (2017). Consuming Animal Creatures: The Christian Ethics of Eating
Animals. Studies in Christian Ethics, 30(1), 30-44.
Dombrowski, D. A. (2014). Philosophical Vegetarianism and Animal Entitlements. In The
Oxford Handbook of Animals in Classical Thought and Life.
Filyanina, N. (2014). Concepts of ecological hermeneutics and its potential in overcoming of the
ecological crisis. In Young Scientist USA (pp. 140-143). Lulu Press.
Grumett, D. (2013). Food and theology’. Routledge International Handbook of Food Studies.
Abingdon: Routledge.
Koosed, J. L. (Ed.). (2014). The Bible and posthumanism (Vol. 74). Society of Biblical Lit.
Linzey, A. (2016). Christianity and the Rights of Animals. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Ruby, M. B. (2012). Vegetarianism. A blossoming field of study. Appetite, 58(1), 141-150.
Seesengood, R. P. (2014). What Would Jesus Eat?: Ethical Vegetarianism in Nascent
Christianity. The Bible and Posthumanism, 74, 227.