You and the Animals are One in God. By Dr Chapman Chen

“Do you have eyes but fail to see?” (Mark 8:18), questions Jesus. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (Matt 6:22), Jesus reassures us. He’s hereby urging us to see through distortions, delusions and illusions by “the true light” (John 1:9).

1. The World is An Illusion Projected by the Kingdom Within

Jesus makes it clear that “I am not of this world” (John 8:23); that “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves” (Matt 16:24); and that “no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3; cf. John 3). That means the world is “vanity of vanities… All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), a projection of “the kingdom of God…within you” (Luke 17:21). You must die to your fake ego in order to wake up to your true identity as “gods” or “sons of the Most High” (John 10:34; cf. Psalm 82:6), or “God’s children” (1 John 3:1).

2. Animals as Co-Creatures and Neighbours

Now, who are “God’s children”? Both humans and animals, for we are all co-creatures of God. God made a covenant not only with humans but also with animals (Gen 9:8–17; Hos 2:18), thereby including them within His divine relationship and care. 

“Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt 22:39), commands Jesus. Animals are our neighbours, for they live in our proximity and, like humans, are living souls—nephesh chayyah—in the Hebrew Bible (Gen 1:20–21, 24, 30; cf. Gen 2:7). Note that Jesus emphasizes “as yourself”, suggesting they are you, not the Other.

3. A Revelation of Unity

Indeed, we are all one. All is one; one is all. “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30);

“I am in the Father, and the Father is in me” (John 14:10), explains Jesus. This is a “revelation of unity” rather than a “declaration of superiority” (The Lost Gospel 2026). For God “fills [all] heaven and earth” (Jeremiah 23:24).

When Logos becomes flesh (John 1:14), the boundary between humans and animals—and even that between God and His creatures—is broken, because all sentient beings are made of flesh and blood (cf. Linzey 1998, p. xvi; Cunningham 2009, pp. 116-117; Clough 2012, p.103).

4. Compassion Arises When We See Ourselves in Others

When the illusion of separation dissolves, true compassion for other sentient creatures emerges naturally. Compassion is not commanded behaviour. It is an expression of awakened consciousness. This insight is not only theological but also philosophical. Arthur Schopenhauer (1840) says, “Compassion arises when we see ourselves in others.”

5. Whatever You Do to Others, You Do to Yourself

Equally importantly, since they (animals) are you, whatever you do to them, you do to yourself. This is confirmed by Jesus saying, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

So when you exploit, abuse, rape (artificially inseminate), torture, and murder animals, you are, in a sense, harming yourself, blaspheming God, and rendering disservice to your inner Christ. On the other hand, when you help, care for, and rescue innocent creatures of God, you are at the same time helping yourself.

6. “Blessed are the Merciful”

That’s why Jesus says: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7), to which James the Just adds, “Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful” (James 2:13). To quote Jesus once more, “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you” (Matt 7:12; Luke 6:31), because in God’s bosom they are you, be they animal or human.   #VeganChrist #VeganGod #VeganTheology #VeganChurch

Full Text: https://www.vegantheology.net/post/you-and-the-animals-are-one-in-god-by-dr-chapman-chen