“Let the Little Ones Come to Me!”~ Jesus. By Dr. Chapman Chen
- Chapman Chen
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
Introduction: In the Gospels, Jesus consistently elevates the most vulnerable in society — the poor, the sick, the outcast — and, most strikingly, children. His teachings about children are not sentimental but deeply spiritual and socially subversive. When viewed through the lens of vegan theology, these teachings offer not only a defence of human innocence but also a powerful call to honour the lives of young animals as fellow innocents worthy of protection, reverence, and inclusion in the Kingdom of God.
Most farmed animals are killed while still babies — often under one year old. Male chicks in the egg industry are killed at just one day old; broiler chickens at 5–7 weeks; piglets at 5–6 months; lambs between 4–12 months. They are literally kids. In nature, these animals could live for years — goats up to 14 years, cows up to 20, rabbits over a decade. Yet across land and sea, the overwhelming majority are denied maturity, parenthood, and full lives.
Full Text: https://www.vegantheology.net/post/let-the-little-ones-come-to-me-~-jesus-by-dr-chapman-chen
1. Be Like Little Kids
In Matthew 18:2–5, Jesus urges His disciples to become “like little children” in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Children embody openness, humility, and nonviolence — the very qualities exalted by Christ. Vegan theology recognizes these same qualities in baby animals — lambs, piglets, chicks — who live in trusting vulnerability, free from dominance or deceit. When Jesus says that welcoming a child is welcoming Him, this ethic may rightfully be extended to all innocent life, calling us to a way of living that protects the powerless.
2. Let the Little Ones Come to Me
In Matthew 19:14, Jesus proclaims, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” He is not just allowing their presence — He is defending their right to closeness, spiritual agency, and belonging. In a world where trillions of baby animals are confined, separated, and slaughtered in systems of industrial agriculture, this statement becomes a prophetic rebuke. Vegan theology hears His voice asking: Who are we hindering from life, freedom, and joy?
3. Welcome the Little Ones
Mark 9:36–37 takes it even further: “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me.” Jesus equates welcoming a vulnerable child with welcoming God Himself. In many spiritual traditions, young animals are also seen as sacred expressions of divine innocence. The vegan view invites us to receive the calf, the chick, the fawn — not as food or commodity, but as sacred guests, bearers of the breath of life.
4. All Life is Interconnected
The Gospel of Thomas (Saying 22) echoes this vision. Jesus sees “infants being suckled, and says they “are like those who enter the kingdom.” He speaks of unity and wholeness — of making male and female, inner and outer, one. This deeply Gnostic idea reflects the spiritual non-duality embraced by vegan thought: that all life is interconnected, and divisions between human and animal are spiritually constructed, not divinely ordained. The nursing infant — human or animal — is not lesser but a symbol of divine trust.
5. The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb and a Child Shall Lead Them
Finally, these teachings align with the vision of Isaiah 11:6 — “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb… and a little child shall lead them”, a peaceable kingdom led by a child, where the lamb and wolf lie together, where children play safely with animals — not as symbols, but as companions. Jesus pointed us toward this world, and we hear His vegan call echoing still: Let the little ones come. Welcome them. Do not harm them. For the kingdom is theirs.
6. Conclusion
In a word, Jesus’ love for children isn’t limited to humans. If the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the innocent, then it belongs also to the lamb, the kitten, the calf, the fawn. When we extend welcome, protection, and reverence to the youngest among us — whether human or animal — we don’t just show kindness.
We welcome the Vegan Christ!
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