A Southern Baptist Convention leader helped draft a statement against animal cruelty released Sept. 30 that is being hailed as a possible tipping point for raising animal-rights awareness among evangelicals. On the heels of Pope Francis’ June encyclical terming any act of animal cruelty “contrary to human dignity” and just before the Oct. 4 feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, which liturgical traditions observe with a special ceremony called the Blessing of the Animals, a group of evangelical pastors, scholars and theologians issued a declaration titled Every Living Thing: An Evangelical Statement on Responsible Care for Animals.
