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

Stephen M. Vantassel

Apr 2009 · Wipf and Stock Publishers

About this ebook

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 God's original creation was free of human on animal violence. God, they argue, did not want man's 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 Christ's 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 Christ's 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."

About the author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a tutor of theology at King's Evangelical Divinity School. Though formally trained as a theology with degrees from Gordon College, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Trinity Theological Seminary, Stephen has extensive experience in wildlife damage management. He is Program Coordinator of Distance Education for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). He has worked at UNL since September 2004. Among his many duties, Stephen manages the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, where he helps educate the public about effective and responsible wildlife control. Stephen is a prolific writer whose articles have appeared in Wildlife Control Technology. Professional Wildlife Control Magazine, Trapper & Predator Caller, Pest Control Technology, Pest Management Professional, and Fur-Fish-Game. He has also published several books, including the National Wildlife Control Training Program: Core Principles and Information, National Wildlife Control Training Program: Supplemental Species Information, The Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook 3rd edition and The Practical Guide to the Control of Feral Cats. Stephen used his knowledge of theology and wildlife damage management to write this book. To his knowledge, he is the only evangelical theologian with real-world experience in wildlife control. In addition to his writing on human-wildlife relations, Stephen's interests include other ethical issues, such as war. He resides in Lincoln, NE with his wife Donna and their dachshund, Madison.