I’m a Christian vegetarian. Eating animals is not a sin, but permission to eat animals does not give Christians license to eat any living animal they want, no matter what species or how cruel the methods of slaughter. Call me an Old Testament freak, but I think the principles taught in Leviticus 11 are not only still relevant today but also theologically revolutionary. Some scholars tell us that Leviticus 11 points us back to the creation order, calling us to align with God’s creation narrative. Differentiating clean from unclean and animals that may be eaten from those that may not be eaten (Leviticus 11:44–47) goes back to Genesis 2, which indicates there is a theological element to choosing among the trees of the Garden of Eden. There, eating was an act of worship and about aligning oneself with the goodness of God’s creation.

This interpretation makes the Old Testament brim with meaning. I think we should live in ways that make this earth look more like the Garden of Eden. We can’t fix the world, but we can rally in support of God’s good creation and seek to make the world look more like God intended it to look from the beginning. Such compassionate reform starts with us and our daily lifestyle decisions. The Bible holds up the ideal. Even if we are not wrong to consume animals, how will we follow God’s initial mandate to steward creation and worship the creator in this critical moment we are all now living in as the angels’ end-time message heralds (Revelation 14:6–8)? There are wrongs to right, injustices to fight, and people who need our help. Those who fear God and hate corruption are called to get involved. So, are we glorifying God in the ways we live and the things we eat and drink, thus obeying His mercies and decreasing suffering in our world? Chew on that!

Craig Ashton Jr.