Laying Down with the Lamb: Abolitionist Veganism, the Rhetoric of Human Exceptionalism, and the End of Creation

Abstract

As more people become interested in veganism, we need to make the moral case for this position to both the animal rights community and the larger public. Paradoxically, one of the main obstacles to making this case is the animal welfare movement, which relies on the work of Peter Singer. This chapter relies on Gary Francione’s Abolitionist Approach and argues that the animal welfare movement’s failure to condemn animal slaughter is ultimately rooted in Singer’s belief in human exceptionalism. The authors argue that traditional Judeo-Christian justifications for human exceptionalism fail to hold up to scrutiny and that an alternative Christian position provides a way to think beyond human exceptionalism, offering support for veganism as a moral imperative.