The author argues that there are conflicting traditions with regard to the question of what is the moral standing of animals according to Christianity. The dominant tradition maintains that animals are primarily resources but there are alternative strands of Christian thought that challenge this view.

List of Tables and Diagrams Forward Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Thomas Aquinas and the Dominant Tradition 2. The Dominant Tradition and the Magisterium 3. Theology and the Reconfiguration of Difference 4. In Via Toward an Animal-Inclusive Eschaton 5. Breaking with Anthropocentrism: Genesis 1 6. Breaking with Conservationism: Isaiah 11:1-9 7. The Sacramentality of the Cosmos 8. Alternative Traditions and Interreligious Dialogue Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

Ryan Patrick McLaughlin teaches at Duquesne University, USA. He has authored articles on animal theology, comparative religious ethics, and biblical foundations for religious inclusivism. He was awarded the McAnulty Dissertation Fellowship Award (2012-13).