This essay proposes a comparison with a branch of Animal Studies that challenges the anthropocentric paradigm of the philosophical tradition. By examining the specific example of Aaron Gross, an attempt will be made to understand the reasons why, within an ecocentric framework, the discourse on the dignity of the animal also entails new horizons for Religious Studies. Gross critiques the ontological dualism that has marked philosophical thought, which, in his view, carries an imbalance in favour of man. The definition of the ontological status of the animal has always depended on its being configured as a passive negation of the intimate qualities of the human being. The essay will attempt to account for these positions, bringing out their ethical background that arises as an urgency in the contemporary cultural climate. The parallel purpose, however, will be to advance the need not to weaken the connotations of Homo Religiosus in his ethical task and ontological destiny.