English merchant and writer Thomas Tryon (1634-1703) was the first person to employ the term “animal rights”, as well as the first theologian in the last 400 years to mandate vegetarianism based on faith and compassion, declaring that eating animal flesh is against the spirit of Jesus Christ. Despite his humble beginnings, Tryon managed to educate himself and became a significant thinker in the tradition of animal theology. His most important work is The Way to Health, Long Life, and Happiness (1683), which stresses the Bible's teachings against violence towards animals and highlights the negative impacts of flesh consumption on the spiritual, mental, and physical health of humans. Below, please find an excerpt concerning how violence, whether directed against humans or animals, is all contrary to the eternal love of God and the true light of Christ.
For all that do know the power of God in themselves, and are guided by the voice of wisdom, and live in the friendly love of God, have abandoned and utterly exiled all hatred, pride, malice, backbiting, fighting, killing, violence, and oppression whatsoever, either of man or beast, and in them meek, innocent dispositions and inclinations do reign, doing unto all creatures as one would be used and done unto. For violence and all kinds of cruelty and oppression is as contrary to such natures as darkness to light. And we may affirm that never any man hath harmed, oppressed, killed, or used any kind of violence to any innocent creature from the excitement or power of this divine principle. Therefore, let everyone consider this, they that find hatred, envy, the spirit of oppression and violence to dwell in them, may certainly conclude themselves in the fierce wrath of God. For all such dispositions and inclinations do proceed from that dark root of bitterness, which is all contrary to the spirit of Jesus Christ. Great is the whole mystery of godliness, but especially Christ manifest in the flesh, that is, that the eternal love and light of God should dwell essentially in man.(Tryon 1697:247)
Source:
Tryon, Thomas (1697/1683). The Way to Health, Long Life and Happiness. London: Unknown Publisher. https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Way_to_Health_Long_Life_and_Happines/cQ83AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1
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