Abrahamic Religions and the Environment: Intimate Strangers?

Abstract

The relationship between Abrahamic religions and environment is a delicate one. Critical voices argue that already in Genesis the human being is situated in a hierarchical position above the animals. Only by admitting his animal status humankind could be freed from its arrogance. Other voices point instead to the solidarity between human beings and animals as fellow-creatures. Particularly in Jewish interpretation (midrash), the dignity of the human being goes together with responsibility for the whole of creation, a responsibility which cannot be required from animals. In addition, the seventh day is a day of rest for human beings and for animals. It is our anthropocentric reading of the Bible that has excluded animals from our religious consciousness. In this chapter, the religious attitude toward animals and to nature in the three Abrahamic religions will be documented. a bit more. A purely anthropocentric reading of sacred Scripture has been dominant the last centuries, but fails to do justice to the Bible. The protestant bias against nature by identifying it with idolatry and with fertility cults of a goddess has also caused a blind spot for the environment in religious perspective.