Holy Dogs and Asses: Animals in the Christian Tradition [Hardcover]

Laura Hobgood-Oster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 2008

Analysis of animals in the history of the Christian tradition has been exclusively symbolic, but Laura Hobgood-Oster utilizes the feminist perspective in her examination of the impact of animal presence. In challenging the metaphoric reading of animals that reinforces human superiority and dominance, Holy Dogs and Asses

underscores animal agency.

 

Creatures play various active roles, which Hobgood-Oster categorizes as exemplars of piety, sources of revelation, saintly martyrs, and the primary other in an intimate relationship. Drawing from rich oral histories, legends, artwork, and popular stories of saints, this study directs our attention to the animal body--also a central concern of Christian theology and feminist criticism. Hobgood-Oster invites the reader to venture beyond the exclusive symbolic nature of animals in the Christian tradition to an awareness that we can know ourselves more fully by reference to the animal.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A welcome contribution to the growing field of animals and religion. . . . Recommended."--Choice

“Raises some important theological and historical questions about the role of animals in the Christian tradition, questions that encourage thoughtful reflection among people of faith.”--Religious Studies Review

Book Description

Analysis of animals in the history of the Christian tradition has been exclusively symbolic, but Laura Hobgood-Oster utilizes the feminist perspective in her examination of the impact of animal presence. In challenging the metaphoric reading of animals that reinforces human superiority and dominance, Holy Dogs and Asses

underscores animal agency.

 

Creatures play various active roles, which Hobgood-Oster categorizes as exemplars of piety, sources of revelation, saintly martyrs, and the primary other in an intimate relationship. Drawing from rich oral histories, legends, artwork, and popular stories of saints, this study directs our attention to the animal body--also a central concern of Christian theology and feminist criticism. Hobgood-Oster invites the reader to venture beyond the exclusive symbolic nature of animals in the Christian tradition to an awareness that we can know ourselves more fully by reference to the animal.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press; First Edition edition (February 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252032136
• ISBN-13: 978-0252032134
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laura Hobgood-Oster is Professor of Religion and Environmental Studies at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. She is also the dog rescue coordinator at the Georgetown city animal shelter. For over ten years she has been doing research on the role of animals in the Christian tradition. Hobgood-Oster also teaches courses on animals and religion, religion and nature, and heretics in Christianity. She lives with her spouse Jack and their two rescue dogs, Codi and Cooper.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kinship with Our Kind, April 21, 2008

By 

Ann C. Snell "dedicated reader" (Georgetown, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Holy Dogs and Asses: Animals in the Christian Tradition (Hardcover)

Important insights into the manner in which we Christians have distanced ourselves from our kind--the other animals of the world. Raises questions that open thinking and acquaint us with recent cutting edge scholarship. Difficult first chapter on methodology but interesting content.