The Latter-day Saint dietary revelation known as the Word of Wisdom is a very well-established tenet of the faith.

The Revelation discusses things that we should refrain from, such as consuming alcohol, tobacco, and hot drinks which prophets have interpreted as coffee and tea.

But also in there, there is a part about counsel on eating meat sparingly, and specifically only in times of winter and

famine. All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts to be the staff of life, not only for

man, but for the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth.

And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

We may be tempted to think that we understand what the word of wisdom is saying here,

but perhaps it's worth a closer look. The revelation makes a subtle

distinction about wild animals that we may have missed. In today's episode, Dr. Andrew Hedges from

BYU's Department of Church History and Doctrine is going to share some fascinating research,

contextualizing the Word of Wisdom's teachings on this subtle but important use of the

terms fowls of the air and beasts of the field in the revelatory text to help us understand

some of this council regarding eating meat. And all these revolutionary theological things that we bring up

that Joseph revealed and that were

new on the theological scene, this was a whole new approach to the relationship between

man and animals, especially wild animals at the time.

Totally new.

The insights of this research are important and should be considered by every conscientious

Latter-day Saint.

I'm your host, Professor Anthony Sweat, and this is Why Religion.

Each year, religion professors at Brigham Young University produce hundreds of publications

on subjects related to the Church of Jesus Christ

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