Anne-Laetitia Michon

This article, based on a paper presented at an ecumenical conference held at the Institut Saint-Serge in 2009, examines the status of animals in the Bible through an exegetical and theological study. Starting from the creation narratives in Genesis 1 and 2, the author shows that animals, far from being a marginal concern of Scripture, serve as a revealer of human nature and divine mystery. The analysis addresses in turn the distinction between humans and animals in the creative plan, the place of animals in the social and religious life of Israel, their symbolic function in divine pedagogy, and their eschatological destiny. The main contribution of the article is to demonstrate that animals are never considered for their own sake in the Bible, but always in relation to humanity: they illuminate the human vocation, establish an ethic of stewardship of creation, and prepare, through sacrificial symbolism, the reception of Christ as the Lamb of God.