Media Hears Pope Say Heaven Is Open to Animals as Well as to Humans

 © 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

In his weekly address November 26, Pope Francis declared that according to St. Paul in the New Testament, in the end times God will transform all creation into "a new heaven and a new earth" not by annihilating the cosmos but by "bringing all things into the fullness of being." It might not come as a complete surprise that some interpreted the words of the pope, who took his name from St. Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of animals), as an affirmation that animals are welcome in heaven.
But the pope's message was perhaps more nuanced than that, as several news outlets have admitted as they slowly began to publish corrections to their original coverage of the speech.
Whatever Pope Francis truly believes about the afterlife of animals, other popes have expressed various opinions on the subject. Pius IX, pope from 1846 to 1878, denied that animals have souls. Francis' predecessor, Benedict XVI, cryptically preached that when animals die, it "just means the end of existence on earth." But John Paul II said that animals are "as near to God as men are" and have "divine breath." Paul VI once comforted a grieving child whose dog had died with the words: "One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all God's creatures, and there we will be vested with the joy and love of God, without limits."
Father James Martin, SJ, a Jesuit priest and editor of America, a national Catholic magazine, said Pope Francis wasn't making an "official pronouncement," since "we have no idea what the afterlife is going to be like other than what Christ reveals to us in the resurrection and what church tradition has taught us." Still, Martin said Francis seemed to be saying that "God loves and Christ redeems all of creation." After all, Martin suggested, "people have loving relationships with their pets, and why would God destroy those loving relationships?"
In his opening homily after becoming pope, Francis affirmed that, whatever happens to animals after death, humans have the responsibility to protect and care for them in this life "as the Book of Genesis tells us and as St. Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live."
Christians have long speculated on the questions of animals and pets being in heaven. Even C.S. Lewis weighed in on the matter, although humbly admitting that silence of the Scriptures on the matter means that we cannot know for certain. In his book The Problem of Pain, Lewis hypothesized that immortality can only have meaning for a creature with a sense of self; it means nothing to a newt, but a higher animal might have a sense of self and thus benefit from life after death. He further surmised that, just as humans receive a heightened sense of self in relationship to God, so animals can receive a heightened sense of self in relationship to their human masters.
Other Christian writers as diverse as Joni Eareckson Tada and Billy Graham also share a belief that, in some way, it would be entirely in line with God's character to provide his people with their pets in heaven.
Christine Gutleben, senior director of faith outreach of the Humane Society of the United States, said, "If the pope did mean that all animals go to heaven, then the implication is that animals have a soul, and if that's true, then we ought to seriously consider how we treat them. We have to admit that these are sentient beings, and they mean something to God."
On the other hand, Pope Francis has been outspoken about the modern tendency to prioritize pets over people, spending vast sums of money on animals while children are dying of hunger. In a July 2, 2014, interview with the Italian daily Il Messaggero, he observed that "the emotional relationship with animals is easier, can largely be programmed. An animal isn't free, whereas to have a child is something complex."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Sorry, Fido, Pope Francis Did NOT Say Our Pets Are Going to Heaven. Religion News Service 
Dogs in Heaven? Pope Francis Leaves Pearly Gates Open. New York Times 
Pope Francis Seems to Suggest All Animals Go to Heaven. Huffington Post 
All Animals Go to Heaven, Says Pope Francis. The Dodo 
Do Animals Go to Heaven? C.S. Lewis on Animal Immortality
Veteran Pastor Opens Up on What the Bible Actually Says About Pets. Raiders News E-Journal
Will Animals Be in Heaven? The Bible and Animals
The Big Questions
1. In what ways are animals different from humans? In what ways are they similar?
2. What is the nature of animal life? Do animals have souls or spirits? Does your answer apply to all animals, including those some people don't like, such as mosquitoes, rats, snakes, bats and spiders?
3. For what purpose(s) did God create animals?
4. What kind of relationship does God intend human beings to have with animals? What Scripture passages address this?
5. The various animals mentioned in Proverbs 30:24-31 can teach humans many things, if we are willing to take the time to observe their behavior. What does Solomon think the ant can teach lazy people (Proverbs 6:6)? Consider animals in scripture that fulfilled a specific purpose. What was the role of Balaam's donkey, for example (Numbers 22:21-35)? Elijah's ravens (1 Kings 17:4-6)? The lions with Daniel when he was thrown into their den (Daniel 6:22)? Noah's raven and dove (Genesis 8:6-12)? Nathan's illustration of a beloved ewe lamb raised like a daughter by a poor man (2 Samuel 12:1-9)?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Exodus 12:3, 6
Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. ... You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. (For context, read 12:1-13.)
As God prepared the Hebrews for the exodus from Egypt, where they had been enslaved for going on 400 years, he provided an experience that would serve as a metaphor to illustrate the cost of their liberation. Their freedom would be paid for by an innocent party whose blood would be a sign to the angel of death: though the angel of death was to take the firstborn of every household, he would pass over the homes where he saw lamb's blood on the doorposts.
Historically, Christians have understood the sacrifice of the Passover lamb as a picture of Jesus, who would give his life for sin so the angel of death would "pass over" those who trust in Jesus. One aspect of the Passover preparation was the selection of a perfect yearling from the flock, who was brought into the home for four days before it was slaughtered. During that time, the children in each family no doubt played with the lamb, cuddled it, maybe even gave it a name. Imagine the tears of the children when they realized that their lives depended on the sacrifice of the innocent lamb they had come to love.
Questions: When it came time to slaughter the lamb, what difference would it have made to each family if they had just selected a lamb from the flock and not had time to develop a real relationship with it? When you think about the price Jesus paid for your freedom, what emotions, if any, do you feel? What needs to happen for you to really begin to grasp the enormity of his love for you and for you to respond more fully to his love?
Jonah 4:10-11
Then the LORD said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?" (For context, read 4:5-11.)
Most of us know the story of the Hebrew prophet Jonah who went to great lengths to avoid preaching to his enemies in Nineveh, lest they repent and receive God's forgiveness instead of the punishment he felt they so richly deserved. We know he boarded a ship sailing in the opposite direction, ran into a gale, was tossed overboard and was swallowed whole by a big fish, where he sat and pondered his fate for three days, praying to God for deliverance. When the fish vomited him up onto the shore, Jonah, still bristling at his assignment, did go to preach to Nineveh, whose citizens did repent, just as the prophet had predicted.
After this, Jonah left the city to watch and wait to see what would happen. Then we read that "the LORD God appointed a bush" (v. 6) to provide shade for Jonah, and then "God appointed a worm" (v. 7) to attack the bush so that it withered.
Questions: What does God's appointment of a bush and a worm for particular tasks suggest to you about God's involvement with and purpose for creation? About God's involvement with and purpose for you? What does the inclusion of "many animals" as a reason to spare the city of Nineveh tell us about God's attitude toward them? How is God contrasting his own relationship with the people and animals of Nineveh with Jonah's relationship with the bush? If God is concerned about at-risk people and animals, what should be the attitude of God's people toward them?
Isaiah 11:6-9
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. (For context, read 11:1-10.)
This passage from Isaiah is often read during Advent as an expression of the promise of God to establish peace through the arrival of the Messiah, referred to in the context verses as both the root of Jesse (King David's father) and a shoot or branch growing out of the stump of Jesse. This means that such an individual both preceded Jesse and descended from him. This is one among many passages that the church reads as pointing to the pre-existence of the divine Christ as well to his incarnation as a human being. No one else fits that description.
Historically, we know that the nation of Israel shone brightly for a brief period before breaking apart, and that ultimately, the people were exiled as subjects of a foreign power. Even when a remnant was allowed to return, the nation was a shadow of its former glory, as if an ax had chopped it down and burned it as firewood, leaving nothing but a dead stump. From such a stump, miraculously, would come the green shoot of the Messiah.
It is he who would establish a peace so comprehensive that it would extend to the animal kingdom. Former predators would live peaceably with former prey, without aggression or fear -- a sign of the peace God intends among humans and between God and people, as the angels announced to the shepherds as they guarded their sheep from natural predators that first Christmas night (Luke 2:8-14).
Questions: What is required to change former enemies into friends in the animal kingdom? In human relations? Who is "the little child" leading former enemies in the animal kingdom into peaceful relations with one another? How does knowledge of the Lord produce the result of "not [hurting] or [destroying] on all [God's] holy mountain"?
Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. (For context, read 12:4-12.)
Jesus uses God's care of common sparrows which you might say are "a dime a dozen" to demonstrate his care for people, to illustrate how we should trust God even when facing those who threaten our very lives. A lyric from a song by Phil Keaggy entitled "A Time and a Place" reads:
"Said the robin to the sparrow,
'I would really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.'
Said the sparrow to the robin,
'Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.'
Have you considered the sparrows up above?
They do not sew, they do not reap,
And yet your Heavenly Father feeds them,
And His love for you is much more deep."
(The song may be heard here and is from Keaggy's 1974 album, What a Day.)
Questions: How often do you really notice sparrows, who seem to be ubiquitous? Though to us they may seem ordinary and humble, not drawing attention to themselves the way a flashy cardinal or parrot seems to do, even these simple creatures don't escape God's notice. What does that mean about God's care for the millions of people, young and old, who feel unwanted, unloved and forgotten by the world? If you are one of those quiet, unassuming people no one seems to notice, what does this mean to you?
Matthew 21:5
Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (For context, read 21:1-9.)
During what is known as Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before he was crucified, he mounted a young donkey which had never been ridden before. Crowds assembled to cry out for help ("Hosanna" means "Save us!" or "Rescue us!") and to offer praise, shouting, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
Questions: What was the significance of the type of animal Jesus chose to ride into the city? Have you ever ridden an unbroken horse or donkey before? What was the experience like? What does the fact that Jesus rode such an animal suggest to you about his nature and identity? What happens when we forget that the praise we may hear is intended for the Lord who has selected us for service, and not for us?
For Further Discussion
1. View images of what is known in the art world as "The Peaceable Kingdom" and discuss what feelings these images evoke for you. When you see pictures or videos of so-called "odd couples" of animals in loving relationships that you don't expect would normally have close, intimate connections, what is your reaction? What do these images suggest might be possible in the realm of human relations?
2. Respond to this from Dr. Peter Hammond, a missionary based in South Africa: "'For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities --his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.' (Romans 1:20). In lions we see something of the power, the courage, the boldness and royalty of the Creator. In lambs we see gentleness and meekness. In otters and dogs we see God's playfulness. In horses we see some of the strength, stamina and perseverance of the Creator." What have you learned about God from animals you have observed in the wild or in your own experience?
Responding to the News
If your church or denomination has a policy statement regarding how Christians should relate to the animal world, this might be a good time to examine it and consider what constitutes ethical treatment of animals and how that relates to following Jesus and the call to make disciples of Jesus Christ. If you don't have such a statement, you may want to explore what the Bible teaches about animals and how we are interrelated, using a concordance, a topical Bible or resources such as this webpage.
Closing Prayer

We thank you, O God, for creating such an amazing array of fascinating animals with whom we share the planet. Open our eyes to better understand your nature and your ways as we observe them. Because animals matter to you, they are important to us as well. Show us how to appreciate them without idolizing them, and teach us how to care for them not as owners, but as stewards of creatures you made to serve and honor you. Amen.

Citizens and Law Enforcement Officers Seek to Cross Racial Divide

© 2014 The Wired Word

www.thewiredword.com

Note: Although this lesson was prompted by the continuing protests over the police shooting in Ferguson, our focus here is not on that specific incident, but rather on how Christians can develop listening skills that might transform conflicts into opportunities for empathy and understanding toward persons whose experiences differ radically from our own. Also, in discussing how we can transform conflicts, we are not assuming guilt or innocence on the part of either Officer Wilson or Michael Brown.
Police Chief Chris Magnus, the primary architect of improved police/community relations in Richmond, California, has been tapped to sit on a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of experts investigating the conflict between law enforcement officers and the black citizenry of Ferguson, Missouri. The August 9 killing, by a white officer in that community, of an unarmed black man who was reportedly attacking him, sparked protests across the nation that continue to this day.
Of particular interest to the DOJ is the fact that the Richmond Police Department (RPD) has averaged less than one officer-involved shooting per year since 2008 under Magnus' leadership. Violent crime there has declined significantly; homicides are at the lowest rate in 33 years. In 2005, the year Magnus was hired, the racially diverse city was listed as one of the most dangerous places in the nation, the murder capital of California -- a far cry from Fargo, North Dakota, where Magnus had led the police force in one of the safest white enclaves in the United States. Some observers say this suggests that police-citizenry relationship problems are less likely to be racial in nature than to have other causes.
So what changed in Magnus' nine-year tenure as RPD chief of police? He instituted reforms that vastly improved relations between the community and the police. Officers were encouraged to presume that most people in the city are "good people not engaged in crime," rather than potential suspects.
Officers were tasked with developing better relationships with people on their beat, and rewarded for spending more time discovering their needs, problems, aspirations and motivations. "We assign people for longer periods of time to specific geographic areas with the expectation that they get to know and become known by residents," Magnus said, so they wouldn't be perceived "as just some kind of occupying force."
Magnus also worked to build cooperative coalitions with governmental agencies and community organizations to ensure that youth who want to escape gang violence have access to counseling, financial support and job training and opportunities. He instituted policies that helped minimize clashes between police and activists during civil rights campaigns.
Professional standards for hiring and training were rewritten with an emphasis on people skills. "We ... want people who can ... show empathy with victims of crime, who are not afraid to smile, to get out of the police car and interact in a positive way with people, who can demonstrate emotional intelligence, who are good listeners, who have patience, who don't feel that it takes away from their authority to demonstrate kindness," the chief explained.
Magnus also diversified the police force, hiring and advancing more women and people of color. "When you have a department that doesn't look anything like the community it serves, you're asking for trouble, no matter how dedicated and professional your employees are," he stressed. Today, about two-thirds of the Richmond police force are minorities, while one out of seven is female.
Richmond is one of six cities that form the DOJ Violence Reduction Network, which looks at the problem of "unconscious bias" that can result in miscarriages of justice. Magnus has also developed training for the RPD in the use of nonlethal weapons such as Tasers and pepper spray to lessen the likelihood and frequency of the use of deadly force.
In September, a Richmond police officer discharged his weapon when an intoxicated man allegedly tried to seize it. It was the city's first fatality involving an officer since 2007. Chief Magnus and his deputy attended the funeral dressed in civilian clothes to empathize with the family in the tragic loss of the young man. Two independent investigations are being conducted into the incident. Whether the officer involved will be exonerated and whether the grieving family will sue the city remain open questions at this point.
Meanwhile, 620 miles north, a photographer snapped a picture of Portland Police Sergeant Bret Barnum holding a weeping 12-year-old boy at a rally in support of the residents of Ferguson. Barnum, who is white, saw Devonte Hart, who is African-American, holding signs with messages such as "You Matter" and "Free Hugs." The father of two teenage boys, Barnum felt an affinity for the boy and engaged him in small talk before asking for a hug.
Devonte's mother Jennifer said her son, who is one of her six adopted children, "struggles with living fearlessly when it comes to the police ... He wonders if someday when he no longer wears a 'Free Hugs' sign around his neck, when he's a full-grown black male, if his life will be in danger for simply being." Devonte's anxieties are not surprising, considering his start in life as a drug-dependant, abused, neglected, poor infant surrounded by violence.
What is remarkable is the courage Barnum noted in the youth that made it possible for the two to really "listen to each other, facing fears with an open heart," as his mother expressed it. Her son simply refuses to be pigeon-holed, limited by stereotypes. "He has proven doctors, psychologists and teachers wrong," she says. "His future is most definitely not bleak, he is a shining star in this world. His light shines bright on everyone on his path. ... He is living proof that our past does not dictate our future."
Maybe it takes a child to lead us out of our collective stalemate over the racial chasm that divides our nation. Maybe we can take a lesson from another sign a beaming Devonte raised high over his head at the rally in Oregon, a black sign with letters in white that read: "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." And at the bottom of the sign were these words in brilliant rainbow colors: "THINK DIFFERENT."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Police Violence Is Not Inevitable: Four Ways a California Police Chief Connected Cops with Communities. Yes! Magazine
California Police Chief Connects Cops to the Community. The Christian Science Monitor 
Encounter at Protest Leads to Hug for Boy, Officer. Yahoo! News
Meet Devonte, the Little Boy With a Big Heart. Paper Trail
The Big Questions
1. Do you feel far removed from the events in Ferguson, wishing it would just "go away," or do you feel stuck in a parallel universe in which racial prejudice is inescapable, touching every aspect of your life? How can people with such divergent life experiences begin to have a real conversation?
2. What role does faith play in putting aside prejudice?
3. What do efforts to reform police practices have to do with the gospel? To what extent do they have to do with the law (we're using "law" in the biblical sense here)?
4. What might we learn from the example of Devonte Hart and Bret Barnum that applies to how we live out our faith?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Luke 3:4-6, 14
... as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" ... Soldiers also asked [John], "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." (For context, read 3:1-14.)
John the Baptist preached by the Jordan in the context of a region governed by Roman occupation forces. He instructed soldiers who came with a willingness to listen and learn that they should not abuse their power but treat everyone fairly. (Note: This is commentary on the Scripture text; we are not presuming that Officer Wilson abused his power.)
Questions: How can Christians "prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight" through valleys of injustice, mountains of aloof arrogance and twisted, rugged roads that lead us farther and farther from the path of peace? Is the salvation of God that Isaiah declares will be seen by all flesh primarily individual, communal, societal, religious or something else? Explain your answer.
1 Peter 5:2-3, 5
... tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it -- not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. ... In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (For context, read 5:1-6.)
Peter here speaks of the exercise of authority in the context of the church. Those who have responsibility for others are to exercise their authority as willing, eager servants of the flock, not resentfully or with an eye to feathering their own nests at the expense of others.
Questions: How might the principles Peter speaks about here with regard to church leaders apply to those serving the public in law enforcement and other government positions? How was Officer Barnum an example to Devonte, and what did Devonte teach him? How is Chief Magnus an example of this kind of leadership?
Luke 10:31-32
Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (For context, read 10:25-37.)
TWW team member Heidi Mann says, "I'm really struggling about whether or not to discuss Ferguson again. On the one hand, I'm as sick of it as anyone. On the other hand, does the fact that I, as a white member of my 99 percent white community, feel completely safe mean I should brush the continuing coverage and angst over the events aside, or does it mean I should, all the more, attempt to find some way to engage with those who experience the U.S. justice system far differently than I do? As a disciple of Jesus, do I have the leeway to toss it all aside, or is that the thing I absolutely must not do, no matter how strongly I would like to?"
Jesus told a man who wanted to justify himself the story of a crime victim who was beaten up by robbers who stripped him and left him for dead. He described a priest and a Levite who saw the man crumpled by the side of the road but who also left him for dead, doing nothing to help. Acting to help somebody in trouble is evidence of love for God and one's neighbor. Failure to show mercy, while quibbling over whether the crime victim fits the technical definition of one's "neighbor" (see v. 29) shows how much we need God's help to do his will.
Questions: When you hear about an incident such as the one that occurred in Ferguson, are you aware of any assumptions that might be based in bias rather than in facts? How would you respond to Heidi's quandary?
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (For context, read 12:14-21.)
This command is part of Paul's practical teaching that spells out some of the implications of the theology he laid out earlier in this letter to the Romans. Chief Magnus accepted the invitation to attend the funeral of a young man shot by an officer. Police Sergeant Barnum was deeply moved by Devonte's tears.
Questions: Why were the demonstrations of empathy mentioned above important? With whom did you empathize most when you heard about what happened in Ferguson? What might help you empathize with people on the other "side"? What would it take to bring you to tears when people across our nation's racial divide are weeping over their incalculable losses? What is the difference between weeping for yourself and weeping for others? Between weeping for others and weeping with others? If you cannot weep with others, is it possible to really understand them? Why or why not? How can you be sure that your tears are more than "crocodile tears"? Are tears enough? When can they become a catalyst for real change?
Acts 8:32-35
Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. (For context, read 8:1-5, 25-39.)
Acts 8 begins with Saul, not yet converted, ravaging the community of followers of Jesus, approving of the murder of the deacon Stephen. In this context, one of Stephen's co-workers, Philip, a Jew, preached the gospel to Samaritans, who were viewed with suspicion because of their racial and religious differences. The mother church in Jerusalem, hearing that the Samaritans were accepting the word of God, sent Peter and John to welcome this disparate group into the church. Then God sent Philip to Gaza where he found an Ethiopian eunuch reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah describing how the Messiah suffered from injustice.
Questions: Some commentators have said the story of Philip and the eunuch, commonly referred to as "The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch," should actually be called "The Conversion of Philip" because in it, Philip comes to see someone very different from himself as a fellow recipient of God's grace. How might viewing this story in that light affect your view of the racial divide in our country?
Responding to the News
Perhaps now is the time to consider how you might "THINK DIFFERENT" about people who are different from you in significant ways. Consider what you have in common. How can you love them "as [you love] yourself" (Matthew 22:39)? What would that look like?
Closing Prayer

Holy Spirit, forgive us for our lovelessness that grieves the heart of God. Move us to weep with those who weep, so that our tears may water our hard hearts and produce the fruit of repentance -- peace, justice and joy -- by the power of the love of Christ at work in us. Amen.