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Q. 10.16. In what does the soul of man differ from the spirit or life of a beast?
A. The spirit or life of a beast goes downward to the earth, and perishes at its death, Eccles 3:21; but the soul of man, being rational and immortal, "returns to God who gave it," Eccles 12:7.
Eccl. 3.21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
Fisher's Catechism:
Q. 10.16. In what does the soul of man differ from the spirit or life of a beast?
A. The spirit or life of a beast goes downward to the earth, and perishes at its death, Eccles 3:21; but the soul of man, being rational and immortal, "returns to God who gave it," Eccles 12:7.
Evangelical philosopher J.P. Moreland does suggest that animals have souls of sorts. Admitting that animals do not have human souls, in their book Beyond Death, Gary Habermas and J.P. Moreland point out, "It wasn't until the advent of seventeenth-century Enlightenment … that the existence of animal souls was even questioned in Western civilization. Throughout the history of the church, the classic understanding of living things has included the doctrine that animals, as well as humans, have souls" (p. 293).
Interesting.
Dennis,
I died laughing at the sight of your avatar.
In regard to Mooreland, isn't he the guy that accused evangeligals of "Bibliolatry"?
Dennis,
I died laughing at the sight of your avatar.
In regard to Mooreland, isn't he the guy that accused evangeligals of "Bibliolatry"?
J.P. Moreland is a philosopher at Southern California's Biola/Talbot. He is a Dallas ThM, USC PhD who has written hundreds of journal articles, books, etc. A most prolific guy. He is Arminian, Vineyard leaning, and yes, he did stir up a hornets nest with his somewhat misunderstood commentsw at the ETS meeting last November 21 (Postcard from San Diego: Fighting 'Bibliolatry' at the Evangelical Theological Society | Liveblog | Christianity Today)
I didn't say I agreed with him . . . just found it "interesting" that one of evangelicalism's top thinkers made the observation. By the way Daniel, I think you responded before seeing my edited post that these are not "immortal" souls.
So do animals go to heaven!? I truly don't know and I believe the Bible is silent on this...but maybe your pets will be with you?
I just asked my cat if she is an intelligent, conscious, soulful being. She said no.
Each human has but one soul. There are three types of souls. There is anima vegetativa, which we wish to refer to as the soul of growth, whereby trees and herbs are said to exist. There is anima sensitiva, or the soul of sensitivity, whereby animals exist and are sensitive to their environment. This, according to Scripture, is to be found in the blood of animals. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Lev. 17:11); "For the blood is the life" (Deu. 12:23). There is anima rationalis, or the rational soul, which we have just described and referred to as rational since by its agency man reasons and makes decisions.
...
Thirdly, every animal exists independently by virtue of his soul and is thus an independent being.
So do animals go to heaven!? I truly don't know and I believe the Bible is silent on this...
We were not discussing that animals will be apart of the Eternal Kingdom, but rather do animals have souls? And yea, it's Human-inclusivism because Jesus was a human. Yea, the whole universe gets restored, but the discussion was about souls, thoughts, intentins and wills. Sorry, but i had to put in my 2 cents. We even may have dinasaurs in 'heaven' when we get there. Yea, i know, looking into a kids face dripping with tears can be tough. Just wanted to clarify the discussion. God Bless.
Therefore, all ideas of an animal heaven are wrong.
I don't think we can make the connection of "animals do not have eternal souls... therefore they will not be heaven"... I just don't think that kind of reasoning works. That's all I was trying to get across.
Also - it is very clear that animals have souls or spirits... whatever you want to call it. However, only Man was made in the image of God, and therefore, only Man is eternal. But, you are right, that is another issue entirely...
I consider animals to be apart of creation, which will be restored. Including their souls... there's no reason why we cannot hope, or even expect that God will ressurect the souls of some...
"Elect animals" just a thought.
If earthly paradise had fruits and animals for the pleasure of man and if our relationship to our pets is, in some way, an echo of that first arrangement between man and beast, it appears that paradise restored might be very "natural" and "physical" as well; including gardens and animals where we can walk with God in the cool of the day.
Sixdayz - thanks, i missed that line. Poodles will never be among the Elect animals!
Sixdayz - thanks, i missed that line. Poodles will never be among the Elect animals!