The role of animals is mostly underplayed when examining the Biblical narrative and the ideas that it strives to convey. However, scrutinizing the Scripture, one will notice that the importance of animal life as part and parcel of the universe created by God is substantially high. Some scholars have challenged the traditional perception of animals as a part of the Biblical narrative, emphasizing their role to a noticeable extent. Specifically, Clough provides a more detailed description of animals as an inalienable aspect of the Biblical discourse. According to Clough, in the Bible, animals serve a purpose that goes beyond being a source of food. Namely, having been created by God, animals represent the effects of God’s graciousness to all of His creations. Specifically, Clough emphasizes that God’s graciousness extends not only to people but to every single creature, no matter how tiny and insignificant it might seem to the human eye.
The specified description allowed changing my attitude toward animals to a substantial degree, convincing me to view them as vital elements of the Divine Plan as opposed to mere sources of food and textile. Although the perspective offered by Clough did not convince me to change my perspective to that one of a vegetarian, it did make me ponder whether people have been engaging in overconsumption, thus harming the environment and damaging it drastically. Namely, I started thinking of how much food is overproduced and thrown out to rot, meaning that countless precious lives of a variety of animals have been wasted. Similarly, the consistent demand for clothes made of natural fur when a range of substitutes are readily available and can serve the same function flawlessly has led me to believe that the current consumerism trends need to stop. Namely, the book has made me accept the idea of transferring to a more reasonable consumption of products that suggests a greater appreciation for the creations of God.