In this insightful interview, Fr Terry Martin, a vegan Catholic priest, discusses his latest book Animals in Heaven?. Drawing from his pastoral experience and Catholic teachings, he reflects on the spiritual significance of animals, their place in creation, and how Christians can integrate compassion for animals into their faith practices. Fr Terry shares personal stories and theological insights, inviting readers to reconsider their relationship with God’s creatures.
Duncan McNair, CEO of Save The Asian Elephants (STAE) and Co-ordinator of the Low-Welfare Act Coalition, has been named “Legal Hero of the Year 2024” by the Law Society of England and Wales. In this interview, McNair reflects on the significance of the award and how it strengthens his mission to protect animals from exploitation in unethical tourism. He discusses the challenges facing Asian elephants and other species, the global impact of STAE’s work, and how individuals can make more responsible choices to support animal welfare. Guided by his faith, McNair offers insight into the urgent need for change and how we can all help.
The role of animals in Christian worship has undergone significant changes in the twentieth century, reflecting a broader shift toward compassion and stewardship. This article, written by Dr Joseph Hardwick, Associate Professor of British History at the University of Northumbria, examines the evolving presence of animals in British church practices.
Dr Hardwick explores how historical events and cultural shifts have influenced the inclusion of animals in church services. His research sheds light on the growing recognition of animals as integral to faith communities and the ethical implications of our relationships with all living beings.
Animal cruelty is an issue that transcends cultural, geographical, and religious boundaries. It is a moral issue that calls for a united response from people of all faiths and beliefs. Among the voices calling for an end to such cruelty is Father Terry Martin, a vegan Catholic priest from West Sussex, England. Father Martin has gained attention for his outspoken stance against bullfighting, a tradition he views as inherently cruel and incompatible with Christian values. His advocacy highlights the importance of Christian involvement in the fight against animal cruelty and underscores the potential benefits of working alongside secular groups to achieve common goals. This article also includes the voices of other UK vegan clergy who are speaking out against bullfighting, adding to the growing chorus of religious leaders demanding change.
Father Terry Martin’s Crusade Against Bullfighting
Father Terry Martin has taken a firm stand against the tradition of bullfighting. His efforts have brought significant attention to the cruelty involved in this practice. Bullfighting, which is still popular in some parts of Spain and Latin America, involves prolonged torment and eventual killing of bulls in the name of sport and entertainment. Father Martin’s campaign against this barbaric practice is rooted in his deep-seated belief in the sanctity of all God’s creatures.
In a powerful advertisement for The Tablet, Father Martin teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to denounce bullfighting. The ad, which features Father Martin’s poignant message against the cruelty of the sport, is part of his continued calls and efforts for Pope Francis to condemn bullfighting publicly. He believes that the Pope’s condemnation could lead to a significant shift in public perception and policy regarding bullfighting, particularly in predominantly Catholic countries where the sport is still prevalent. Father Martin said:
As Christians, we are called to be stewards of all God’s creation, and that includes treating animals with the compassion and respect they deserve. Bullfighting is a cruel practice that stands in stark contrast to our values of mercy and love. It is our duty to speak out against such cruelty and to work towards a world where all creatures are treated with dignity.”
Christian Teachings and Animal Welfare
Christian teachings provide a strong foundation for advocating against animal cruelty. The Bible speaks of God’s creation with reverence and commands humans to be stewards of the earth. Genesis 1:26-28 emphasises the role of humans as caretakers of God’s creation, which includes all living creatures. This stewardship implies a responsibility to treat animals with kindness and compassion, rather than subjecting them to unnecessary suffering.
Father Martin’s stance against bullfighting is deeply rooted in these biblical teachings. He argues that inflicting pain and death on animals for entertainment is a clear violation of the stewardship role entrusted to humans by God. His advocacy is a call to Christians to reflect on their responsibilities and to act in accordance with the values of compassion and mercy that are central to the Christian faith. Father John Ryder, former Vicar at All Saints Parish Church, Godshill, echoes this sentiment:
God gave us dominion over animals. In this (as in all things) we should follow our Lord’s example. He is our Lord, that is, he has dominion over us. Imagine if our Lord treated us as bulls are treated in Spain? As this is unthinkable, then so for a Christian is bullfighting, bull running, etc.”
Father Edward Owen, Vicar of South Cardiff Ministry Area in the Diocese of Llandaff, adds,
If we believe God has love for all that he has created, then using the beauty of creation in a cruel way for entertainment or sport, is the ultimate denial of the love of God. Bullfighting is not only unpleasant, it is also very cruel and denies the image of God in his creation.”
A bull used in a bullfight faces a matador preparing to plunge his sword into the bull’s chest. San Sebastian de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain, 2010. Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media
The Benefits of Christians Working with Secular Groups
One of the notable aspects of Father Martin’s campaign is his collaboration with PETA, a secular animal rights organisation. This partnership exemplifies the benefits of Christians working with secular groups to oppose animal cruelty. By joining forces, they can amplify their message, reach a broader audience, and bring about more significant change.
Amplifying the Message
When faith and secular groups unite for a common cause, they combine their resources and platforms, thereby amplifying their message. Father Martin’s collaboration with PETA has brought his message against bullfighting to a wider audience than it might have reached through church channels alone. The use of a well-known secular platform like PETA helps to bridge the gap between different segments of society, ensuring that the message of compassion and animal welfare resonates with a diverse group of people.
Bridging Divides
Collaborations between religious and secular organisations can help bridge divides and foster mutual understanding. These partnerships demonstrate that despite differing beliefs, there are shared values and common goals that can unite people. Father Martin’s work with PETA highlights how shared concerns about animal cruelty can bring together individuals and groups from different backgrounds, promoting a sense of unity and collective responsibility. The Revd Dr Jan Goodair, Area Environment Champion for the Diocese of Leeds, captures this spirit perfectly:
Christ recognised the good in people who did not share his (Jewish) faith. Christians who advocate for animals should feel similarly confident and comfortable in working with secular groups who share our concerns and compassion: they are our allies. I regularly take part in street outreach on behalf of Viva!, a secular organisation. We are a very mixed bunch, drawn together in a common cause. When I talk about faith shaping my concern for animals, I generally find that Christianity goes up in people’s estimation and that very fruitful conversations follow. I don’t really think that there is a religious/secular divide but rather that we find God at work wherever we encounter love, so why not work together.”
Father Terry Martin’s passionate stance against bullfighting serves as a compelling example of why Christians should protest against animal cruelty. His efforts, rooted in biblical teachings and amplified through collaboration with secular organisations like PETA, highlight the powerful impact of united action.
The voices of other UK vegan priests, such as Fathers John Ryder and Father Edward Owen, strengthen this call to action. Their unified stance demonstrates that compassion for animals is a deeply Christian value. The Revd Dr Jan Goodair’s work with secular groups underscores the benefits of partnerships in this cause, showing that together, we can achieve more significant change.
As Christians continue to advocate against animal cruelty, we are reminded of the importance of prayer in our mission. Let us pray for strength and wisdom for those on the front lines of this cause, for the enlightenment of hearts and minds to recognise the sanctity of all God’s creatures, and for the end of cruel practices that betray our duty as stewards of creation. Let us pray for unity among Christians and our secular allies as we work together towards a more compassionate and just world for all of God’s creation.
Father Terry and PETA are urging Pope Francis to condemn the horrific bull torture events held in honour of Catholic saints. These events involve brutal and prolonged suffering for the bulls, contradicting our deeply held Christian values of compassion and mercy. By denouncing this cruelty, Pope Francis can help end this barbaric tradition and protect God’s creatures. Your signature can make a significant difference in promoting a compassionate future for all living beings.
Jeff Sebo, an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at New York University, has established himself as a prominent figure in the fields of animal and environmental ethics. His latest book, “The Moral Circle“, set for publication in January 2025, explores the ethical implications of expanding our moral consideration to include a broader range of beings. This interview delves into his background, motivations, and insights into the evolving challenges and responsibilities we face in relation to nonhuman beings.
Jamie Berger, filmmaker, writer, and activist, discusses The Smell of Money, a new documentary which tells the story of a North Carolina community suffering as a result of pork factory toxic waste.
Dr Philip J. Sampson FOCAE, writer and lecturer on animals and animal ethics explores John Calvin’s teachings on animals and considers how we might apply them today in making our food choices.
Poorva Joshipura, Senior Vice President of International Affairs for PETA UK, discusses her latest book Survival at Stake, reflects on our moral responsibility towards animals and explains how animal agriculture is behind some of the biggest threats facing humanity.
Tell us about yourself and why you feel so passionately about animal advocacy
I started volunteering with PETA US when I was 16 and became a permanent employee there at 23. So, I’ve been part of the PETA family in some capacity for almost two-thirds of my life!
I became vegetarian as a teenager after a friend challenged my choice to eat a chicken burger for lunch. She had started to question eating animals and got me thinking, too. She and I both went vegetarian and later vegan together. She works for PETA US.
Here’s what really sealed the deal for me: when I first joined PETA as a staff member, I had the opportunity to visit a slaughterhouse in India along with representatives of the country’s leather industry. India exports leather goods to the UK, US, and other parts of the world. The Indian leather industry was under pressure because PETA entities had released an exposé showing that cows and buffaloes sent to slaughter were being crammed onto vehicles in such high numbers that their bones broke or they suffocated. Many died en route. At the slaughterhouse, I saw animals being cut apart while they were still conscious. As a calf was thrown to the floor to be killed for shoes, his eyes met mine. His throat was slit in front of me, and I made a mental promise to him that while I couldn’t save his life, I would spend mine saving the lives of as many animals as I could.
Christian Faesecke / We Animals Media
What inspired you to write Survival at Stake?
I wrote this book because many people don’t realise that human wellbeing is intertwined with that of other animals. For example, meat, egg, and dairy production is driving the climate catastrophe and various forms of pollution as well as health threats from zoonotic diseases (which are transferred to humans from other species) and antibiotic resistance. COVID-19 likely originated at a live-animal market, as did severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and HIV and Ebola disease are thought to have first been transmitted to humans when they hunted other primates. Furthermore, law enforcement experts today recognise that cruelty to animals is often a precursor to murder and other violent crimes against humans.
I have been affected by several of these key crises: I became ill with COVID-19 before the roll-out of the vaccine, I lost a dear friend to an AIDS-related illness, and I was in Mumbai, India, when floods killed over 1,000 humans and countless other animals. If we don’t change our current trajectory, more of us will have stories about how our meddling with animals and nature has caused personal strife – if we even live to tell them.
Finally, I wrote Survival at Stake to provide food for thought about solutions – ones that I hope readers and policymakers will be inspired to put into action right away. As with many of these issues, we have limited time to effectively change our current course.
What are the most pressing crises the world currently faces?
There are numerous key crises threatening human wellbeing. Among them is the climate catastrophe. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, the animal agriculture sector is responsible for nearly one-fifth of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
Also, most emerging diseases that have affected humans over the last decades – a whopping 75% – are zoonotic, meaning they spread to humans from other animals. Worryingly, the frequency of such events and the variety of pathogens involved have been accelerating. Zoonotic diseases include severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), HIV, Ebola disease, various strains of bird and swine flu, and likely COVID-19. We need only ask ourselves what’s changed recently that would increase humans’ likelihood of catching diseases that affect other species. The answer is simple: our intensified and relentless meddling with nature by factory farming, killing wildlife, and encroaching on the habitats of wild animals. This includes when forests are flattened to grow crops for animal feed or to use as grazing land for animals raised for their flesh or skin.
Lukas Vincour/WeAnimals Media
Factory farms are able to exist because antibiotics are used, among other reasons, to keep animals alive in filthy, disease-prone conditions. Around the world, almost 75% of anti-microbial drugs on the market are used to rear animals for meat, eggs, and dairy. That means far more antibiotics are used on farmed animals than on humans. The overuse of these drugs is contributing to antimicrobial resistance and the development of superbugs – when medicines needed to treat illnesses from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites in humans become less effective or stop working altogether and new, resilient forms of infections arise.
To what extent do humans have a moral responsibility towards animals?
While I believe we should care about animals because they have inherent worth, our moral responsibility towards them must also include taking care of the planet and ourselves because human, planetary, and animal wellbeing are intertwined. Humans, of course, are animals.
Today, ethologists confirm many resemblances between humans and animals – from whales to invertebrate creatures like bees. They describe these and other animals as sentient, intelligent beings who express emotional states.
Research reveals that bees appear to dream, chickens are clever and cunning, pigs can be taught to play video games, and fish form friendships. Animal behaviourists also tell us that cows grieve and octopuses experience emotional pain. Videos on the internet show us that dogs will risk their own lives to save that of a loved one.
By establishing similarities between humans and animals in my book, I hope readers will be less surprised that the wellbeing of animals is intertwined with our own.
Are there connections to be made between human and animal wellbeing?
Human and animal health are inextricably linked. With so many similarities between humans and other animals, it’s little surprise that our wellbeing is so connected with theirs – or that the diseases and conditions that affect them can impact us, too. We need only look at recent diseases like COVID-19 – which is largely believed to have first infected humans at a live-animal market – to understand this interrelationship with jarring clarity. Most virologists believe the virus, like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), first spread to humans from animals due to the confinement of stressed wild animals in filthy, crowded conditions prior to their slaughter.
Bird flu and swine flu also spread and mutate amid the unnatural and unsanitary conditions inherent in the factory farming of chickens and pigs. The 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic killed up to 575,000 people in the first year alone, and the recent highly pathogenic strain of bird flu H5N1 – which has a 60% mortality rate in humans – has been decimating populations of mammals caged on fur farms. As a result, the World Health Organization has issued a warning that the virus might adapt to infect humans more easily.
Animals’ well-being is connected to our own in other ways, too. For instance, leather production has been linked to various types of cancer, skin diseases, and respiratory illnesses in tannery workers.
The way we treat animals reflects the state of society, too: the US Federal Bureau of Investigation considers crimes against animals a warning sign that a perpetrator will likely be violent towards humans.
Sabina Diethelm / We Animals Media
What needs to change if we are to tackle the challenges we currently face?
We must reject speciesism – the belief in human superiority – and accept that we are also animals irrevocably interconnected to other species, from the largest elephant to the smallest bee. Once we realise that we are a part of nature and stop holding dominance over it, we can take the necessary steps for the betterment of all the planet’s inhabitants.
How can individuals take action in their daily lives to help bring about change?
The simplest and most important action is treating animals as we ourselves would like to be treated.
If you are going to do one thing to help yourself, animals, and the planet, try eating vegan. University of Oxford researchers found that it is the “single biggest way” an individual can reduce their environmental impact. They found that not eating meat and dairy can reduce an individual’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73%. Each vegan also spares the lives of nearly 200 animals a year simply by not consuming them. And the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which is “the world’s largest organisation of nutrition and dietetics practitioners”, has confirmed that “plant-based diets are more environmentally sustainable than diets rich in animal products because they use fewer natural resources and are associated with much less environmental damage”. It adds encouragingly, “Vegetarians and vegans are at reduced risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity.”
I share many other ideas on how to help bring about change in the final chapter of my book.
Poorva Joshipura is the author of Survival at Stake (2023) and For a Moment of Taste: How What You Eat Impacts Animals, the Planet and Your Health (2020). She is the Senior Vice President of International Affairs for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation UK.
Survival at Stake is available at all good bookshop. For more information.
Dr Lisa Kemmerer scholar, animal activist and founder of the educational and vegan organisation, Tapestry, explores Christian perceptions of animals and offers advice for those considering veganism.
Laura Wright, Professor of English at Western Carolina University, introduces The Vegan Studies Project, which explores veganism as an identity and ideology, and considers its depiction in literature, the arts, popular culture, and the media.
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