The Bible and Farm Animal Welfare

“The world when the Bible was written involved both friendly and exploitative interaction with non-human animals. David Grumett presents evidence from the words of the Bible for careful observation and deduction as a lesson for each person organizing their life to respect sentient animals and all of the living world. He explains that modern attitudes to animal welfare involve a return to biblical values as well as use of the latest scientific knowledge.”

—Donald M. Broom, professor emeritus of animal welfare, University of Cambridge



“This book examines the biblical description of the evolution of the relationship between humans and farm animals. Read it, think about it, and consider how politics, legislation, economics, farmers, retailers, and consumer interactions impact on the welfare of the animals. It will stimulate discussion on what must be done today to improve farm animal welfare with the increasing use of technology for animal husbandry, which will reduce even more the contact between animals and people.”

—Sarah Wolfensohn, professor of animal welfare, University of Surrey



“David Grumett draws our attention to the lives and welfare of farm animals, who have interacted with humans and made our lives possible from biblical times to the present. Significantly, he brings animal welfare into explicit dialogue with biblical and theological traditions. His book is a valuable resource for making ethical decisions about the foods we eat, the policies we promote, and other animal-related issues.”

—Ken Stone, professor of Bible, culture, and hermeneutics, Chicago Theological Seminary