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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.
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