RT Article
T1 Meat abstinence and its positive environmental effect: Examining the fasting etiquettes of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
JF Critical research on religion
VO 2
IS 2
SP 134
OP 146
A1 Zellelew, Tilahun Bejitual
LA English
PB Sage
YR 2014
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1752588096
AB Meat abstinence, as is practiced in some religions, has a positive impact on reducing the damages that the process of meat production inflicts on the environment. The Ethiopian Orthodox Christians observe fasting by abstaining from meat for more than half a year, and this seems to do the environment and economy some good. Religion has been playing a regulatory role between ever-increasing meat demands and the country’s fast-growing meat and live animal exports. The article concludes that individuals' tendency to drift from religious life practices, coupled with a growing middle class that can afford to buy meat regularly, and the country’s need to maximize foreign currency through meat and livestock exportation, is likely to see Ethiopia introduce intensive livestock production in the not too distant future, to meet domestic meat demands and increase livestock export earnings.
K1 Ethiopian Orthodox Church
K1 Environment
K1 Fasting
K1 food-proscription
K1 meat-abstinence
DO 10.1177/2050303214535002