In Bible times people lived in an agrarian society. The rituals and feasts, and the metaphors used by preachers, prophets and the Lord Jesus himself speak of the farming calendar. There was a real sense that riches or poverty, and life itself, depended upon God’s blessing in the fruitfulness of labour on the land.
This connection with agriculture was evident in the UK until modern times. Harvest Thanksgiving was an integral part of the church calendar, acknowledging the importance of food production. There was a general appreciation of farming practice. Now, however, that has been lost. Research shows that many children grow up thinking that milk comes in plastic containers from a factory, that white bread is made from milk and brown bread from wheat. Consumers expect strawberries and tomatoes to be available on Christmas Day and at the same prices as when they are in seasonal production.
Unhelpful comparisons
There is, in particular, a loss of understanding of livestock production. This has been fuelled in part by Darwinian thinking, which encourages us to evaluate animal life as equal in value to human life, rather than the biblical teaching of the unique value of humans as made in the image of God. The God-given mandate to subdue the earth, to rule over the animal kingdom, and to use animals for food has been forgotten. There is instead a new sentimentality in our thinking. Animals are anthropomorphised, pets are ‘companions’ and there is a squeamishness about farming animals for food.
