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Must We Love Non‐Human Animals?
Author(s) -
Berkman John
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
new blackfriars
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1741-2005
pISSN - 0028-4289
DOI - 10.1111/nbfr.12615
Subject(s) - fraternity , affection , friendship , philosophy of love , dimension (graph theory) , philosophy , sociology , psychoanalysis , social psychology , psychology , theology , epistemology , mathematics , pure mathematics
Drawing especially on Aquinas and Pope Francis, the paper argues that Christians are indeed called to love non‐human animals. Human love ( amor ) for non‐human animals follows from the Trinitarian example of divine love ( amor ), and includes affection, dilection, benevolence, and thus charity as friendship. Love for and fraternity with non‐human animals constitutes a necessary dimension of Christian conversion. The specific form this love takes depends on the particular natures inherent in different species. So to show love to a dog will be very different from showing love to a wolf, which is in turn very different from how one shows love to a chicken, or to a frog, and so on.