Christianity Animal sacrifice

matagh of rooster @ entrance of monastery church (alaverdi, armenia, 2009), inset of bloody steps.

references animal sacrifice appear in new testament, such parents of jesus sacrificing 2 doves (luke 2:24) , apostle paul performing nazirite vow after death of christ (acts 21:23-26).

christ referred apostles lamb of god , 1 whom sacrifices pointed (hebrews 10). according penal substitution theory of atonement, christ s crucifixion comparable animal sacrifice on large scale death serves substitutionary punishment of humanity s sins.

some villages in greece sacrifice animals orthodox saints in practice known kourbania. sacrifice of lamb, or less commonly rooster, common practice in armenian church , tewahedo church. tradition, called matagh, believed stem pre-christian pagan rituals. additionally, mayans following form of folk catholicism in mexico today still sacrifice animals in conjunction church practices, ritual practiced in past religions before arrival of spaniards.

strangite latter day saints

animal sacrifice instituted in church of jesus christ of latter day saints (strangite), minor latter day saint faction founded james j. strang in 1844. strang s book of law of lord (1851) deals topic of animal sacrifice in chapters 7 , 40.

given prohibition on sacrifices sin contained in iii nephi 9:19-20 (book of mormon), strang did not require sin offerings. rather, focused on sacrifice element of religious celebrations, commemoration of own coronation king on church, occurred on july 8, 1850. head of every house, king lowest subject, offer heifer, or lamb, or dove. every man clean beast, or clean fowl, according household.

while killing of sacrifices prerogative of strangite priests, female priests barred participating in aspect of priestly office. firstfruits offerings demanded of strangite agricultural harvests. animal sacrifices no longer practiced strangite organization, though belief in correctness still required.

neither church of jesus christ of latter-day saints nor community of christ, 2 largest latter day saint factions, ever accepted strang s teachings on (or other) subject.