CHRISTIAN VIEW ON TREATING ANIMALS: THEOLOGICAL CRITICISM OF P. SINGER
This work analyses critical theses of Christian theologians against counter-religious arguments of Peter Singer. This criticism considers Singer's interpretation of canonical Christian texts and Christian tradition as a whole. Singer's ethics, which is a variant of preference utilitarianism, suggests that equal consideration of interests (preferences) should include interests of animals as well, because of their ability to su er. To discriminate creatures based on their species, claims Singer, has no more basis than doing this based on skin color. Thus, Singer questions the Christian anthropocentrism. Singer's conception openly contradicts Christian ethics and religious worldview in general on many issues. Among the points of con ict are issues related to abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, &c. Using several sources, the article examines how Christian thinkers respond to Singer's criticism of the Holy Scriptures, dogmata and practices of the Christian religion. It is shown that in matters of animal rights and relation to nature, the counterargument tends rather not to challenge the positions of Singer's teaching, but, on the contrary, to show that his ethical theses are quite compatible with the Christian teaching. However, this requires a signi cant expansion in the interpretation of Scripture and other Christian dogmata. It can be stated that the theological position which advocates for the rights of animals does not follow the Thomist tradition; rather, it is rooted in speci c branches of Reformed Christianity. For the most part, theologians view Singer's theses on Christianity as a caricature of the Christian tradition. Analysis of the underlying ethical traditions shows that utilitarianism in Singer's version and Christian ethics are little compatible in the essential questions of the animal ethics.