As many of you know, I lost my precious dog Narnia over a week ago.
The outpouring of love and understanding I received was both surprising and soothing. For some reason, I didn’t realize there were so many people out there who would understand my intense grief over losing a pet. (On that note, I want to say thank-you. Thanks so much, everyone, for being so wonderful and understanding. Your words of sympathy truly aided in my healing.)
I never quite realized just how deeply you could love a member of a different species until I adopted my precious Narnia.
Narnia, when we adopted her. Oh, my heart . . .
She was a huge pain in the butt, in all honesty. She barked way too much and she shed her white fur all over the place. She had an annoying habit of hanging out right under your feet and then skittering away every time you made a move. She ate underwear. She hated baths. She was bad with kids (except for Lydia). And it was impossible to keep Lydia out of her food dish.
But oh, I loved that darling little pup. She was a great cuddler. She loved to sit on my lap, and could stay there for hours if I would let her. She loved the smell of tears, and eagerly licked them up when I was sad.
She was so playful. She was so tiny (she weighed about 6 pounds) I could play fetch with her indoors, which she wanted to do every single day until the day she died.
Losing her was utter agony. The house has felt so empty since we lost her. No familiar yapping every time the doorbell rings. No one nudging my leg with a plush bone when I sit down in front of the computer.
I’m so sad that Lydia won’t remember Narnia when she’s older. I can’t bear the thought of our family spending the rest of our lives without a dog in the house, but I also can’t imagine replacing her. We’re a dog family. But no, that’s not right. What we are is a Narnia family. I don’t want any other dog. I want Narnia.
Anyway, I mentioned on Facebook that since my beloved pet happened to pass away during the same month I was reading N. T. Wright’s book on resurrection (Surprised by Hope), I naturally began to reflect on the possibility of animals being resurrected in the new earth.
Osheta responded by sharing a link to a sermon by Jonathan Martin, in which he addresses this very question. (The sermon is entitled “Nor Things to Come,” and he starts to talk about pets and the resurrection around 8:00).
I was so blessed by the ideas Martin shares here, that I thought I’d pass them along.
I think he’s right. I think God will resurrect our beloved pets in the life that is to come.
Do I sound crazy? Here are some thoughts.
(Note: I am writing all this based on the assumption that God will, at the end of this age, restore ALL of Creation to its former glory. Instead of whisking our souls off to some disembodied heaven and destroying the material world, I believe God intends to bring heaven to earth, restoring and transforming our physical bodies right here, as he did Christ’s on Easter. If you’re interested in this subject, I highly recommend N. T Wright’s remarkable Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
(A second note: This understanding of eschatology circumvents the question of whether or not animals have souls, because a soul is not necessarily imperative in a restored physical earth.)
Why I Believe We Will See Our Pets Again
Scripture seems to suggest that there will be animals in the new earth.
Isaiah 11, for example, describes the wolf and the lamb living together, the leopard lying down with the goat, the cow eating with the bear. (I love the suggestion that they will all be vegetarians, too.)
Animals are a part of God’s good creation.
As Martin points out, God created them because he delights in them, and he wants us to delight in them. Surely they will be a part of the restored earth. Romans 8 tells us that all of Creation waits for the day it will be “liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (verse 21).
The Bible is full of language that says animals praise God.
I’ve always loved the line in Psalm 150 that says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” I love that image: the birds sing, the dogs bark, the goats bleat; all of this is a song of praise to the Lord, which brings him delight. I believe this will continue in the life that is to come.
God likes to give good gifts to his children.
Martin encourages us to ask ourselves an important question when it comes to matters like these: What is God like? What does the heart of God look like?
Jesus describes God as a Father who likes to give good gifts to his children. Matthew 7:11 reads, “If you, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
I think this is relevant to the question of our pets.
Many of us love and have loved certain animals with all our hearts. As Martin argues: if you love your pets, why wouldn’t God want you to have them in the restored earth? “That just sounds like something God would do,” he argues.
And I agree. That does sound like the God I serve.
* * *
Yesterday Lydia was eating in her high chair when she dropped a piece of chicken onto the floor. Normally, Narnia would be there to clean that up for us. When Narnia didn’t show up, Lydia declared, “Narnia take a nap.”
And I was able to smile sadly, and say with confidence, “Yeah. Narnia’s taking a looooong nap.”
Someday, she’ll wake up and be with us again.
What do you think? Do you expect to see pets in the future life?
I think our animals will be in Heaven, or rather on the New Earth when God creates it. After all, if He saw fit to put them here the first time around, and everything about the Earth He created was perfect, why wouldn’t He do it again? Plus, as you said, there are so many references to at least SOME animals being there. I don’t have a Biblical basis for saying this, but I think animals know that God is God; not that they have souls like we do, but that they recognize His sovereignty. It’s comforting to think that I will see them again someday, along with the humans that I am expecting to see. It’s also comforting to know with certainty that if I am wrong, and the animals aren’t there, I won’t be sad about it, as hard as that is for me to grasp right now.
I think it is really cool how some people just come to conclusions through the use of historical context. It not only outlines the story guidelines, but also can help you reflect on personal goals involving your pet. Great Blog!
You know, I’ve never really thought about it much before, but I think I agree. Why not? If God is restoring everything to glory, all the relationships, all the joy and goodness of this earth forever. Well then it makes sense our pets are there too.
(except maybe my Nana’s weird greyhound who was mean and snarled at everyone… ;) )
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Haha . . . yeah, maybe just the nice pets. :)
My thoughts exactly: WHY NOT?
This kind of post is the reason I love reading your blog! Like Fiona, this isn’t something I’d really thought about before, but I enjoyed reading your reasoned argument. And I think you’re right.
I didn’t comment on your announcement post, but I also wanted to say that I was sorry to hear about Narnia. I know exactly how a pet becomes part of a family, and I’ve been thinking of you in your grief.
Thanks so much, Hannely.
Great post! I absolutely agree.
I lost my dog (Murphy) June 25th. He was hit by a car chasing a squirrel. I ran to him and asked if he was alright. He waged his tail for about 2 seconds and died. I miss him so. He was an 8 years old Jackapoo, 10 pounds and my best friend. I truly hope that I see him where ever we go when our current earthly life has ended.
Oh, I’m SO SORRY, David. What a tragedy. My heart breaks for you. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
I absolutely needed to read this post today. I happened to come across your shampoo method on Pintrest and decided to look at the rest of your blog. I lost my first dog that I adopted when I moved away on my own in April when she was hit by a car. I also had to make the decision to put her down. I still go over whether I made the right decision or not, but I know she was in so much pain that it needed to be done. This post put my heart at ease and had me look into the subject myself in my own bible studies. Thank you for this and my prayers are with you and your family! P. S. Your precious Narnia looks so much like my Penelope did.
Some pet owners here in Russia believe in the Rainbow Bridge and that they will meet their dead pets there. However, there is nothing Christian about the concept of the Rainbow Bridge, it’s rather heathen or New Age.
I also don’t understand why many think animals lack the (immortal) soul. I believe that any animal capable of love has a divine spark in it which makes love possible, and that spark is the soul. But after all, I am a very bad Christian and can be mistaken.
There is however one theological argument for the presence of immortal souls in animals. Christianity teaches us that when we suffer in this life, our suffering has a purpose in the afterlife. Animals can suffer too, no doubt about it. If they have no immortal soul and no afterlife, their suffering would be in vain. I cannot believe that God makes anyone suffer in vain, this would be a wicked God.
Can you please reply what you think of this argument.
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Hi, Vas. Good thoughts! For the same reasons you mention (and more), I’m not closed to the possibility that animals have eternal souls, either. Before the Enlightenment, people generally believed that animals had souls — or at least “spirits.” The Greek word for breath and spirit are the same (pneuma), so (as I understand it) it was commonly understood that animals with breath were endowed with an eternal, spiritual component. The Bible doesn’t address this subject head-on, so we can only speculate; but I think it’s reasonable to suppose animals have souls (though they would be different from human souls. Animals are not “made in God’s image.”)
Thank you for your reply, Kathleen.
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One famous theologian who went to heaven and came back said that earth is modeled after heaven, heaven is NOT modeled after earth. That said… there will be nothing lacking there that is here… except for things like night, the oceans, etc. I cannot believe the God who IS love, would love pets and animals any less than WE do. If WE wish for our pets to be in heaven, how much more must God the Heavenly Father love them? After all, there are horses in heaven… Jesus rides one and the believers up there will come back on horseback… see Revelation and John’s vision of heaven. I have had experienced HEARING two of my pets years for one and months for another after their “death.” One was the sound of him coming up the wood stairs in my home. The other time, I heard the bark of my last dog. I was not asleep either time. It was still daytime. There were no other animals around. I was alone in the house both times… except for my new dog who was asleep downstairs on the hearth.
I’m by no means religous, but I am spiritual and have to believe there is something more where I will be reunited with both Dusty and Dakota Rose. Dusty lived a good long life of 19 yrs….but just 2 weeks ago exactly my life as I know it shattered….my 3 yr old baby started rapidly declining when I didn’t even know she was sick! At 3:42am in the Vet ER they came out to tell me, Dakota stopped breathing. In that moment I know it sounds crazy, but I wanted to go with her wherever she was going because I always knew that Id most likely outlive her…but to lose her so traumatically and young….anyhow found your blog in searching for hope that one day I will be reunited with them….I have to believe I will or well I just have to in order to be able to go on…..
Thanks for posting this. I lost my baby girl Casey last week. She had a back injury which caused her to have heart & brain issues. Eventually her hind legs gave out on her & she couldn’t walk so I had to put her down. Definitely the hardest thing I ever had to do & ill never forget her staring into my eyes when she took her last breath. I had her for 11 years and raised her like the child I never had (or never will have). It’s been 7 days and I still can’t get over the sadness, loneliness and grief. I’m single, live alone and have no social life, so she was my everything. I’m not religious but more spiritual and I believe that my baby girl does indeed have a soul (or spirit…whatever you wanna call it) and I strongly believe that we’ll be together in the afterlife. I also like to believe that maybe she’s already back here reincarnated as a beautiful little human baby and she’ll go on to live a happy & healthy life with a great family. And…who knows? Maybe in MY passing I will come back reincarnated as one of HER babies, and the roles will be reversed. :) I just miss her so much and I’m waiting to see her in my dreams.
Oh Joe, I am SO sorry for your loss. How absolutely devastating. I feel so certain you’ll see your beloved Casey again. My heart is with you during this terribly painful time.
I so feel your pain and grief here. I just lost mine too. Our little dachshund died in my wife’s arms on the way to the hospital!! It’s only been a couple of days, so do know others understand what you’re feeling.
I just came across this blog. I am so devastated by the loss of my beloved Koty. He was an 11 1/2 year old chocolate lab that had more heart than most people. I waited 30 years to get him. He was the love of my life, my protector, my best friend and I lost him Friday night. For months I had been taking him to a vet who couldn’t find what was wrong. 5 minutes with the emergency vet Friday night resulted in the grave news that cancer had intruded into every cavity of his body. His final act was to lift his head to comfort me. I don’t know how to go on without him. There isn’t a space in this house where he didn’t reside at one point. He slept with me every night until the past few months; when I feared him hurting himself getting up and down, so I bought him a bed…better than my own. I need to know I will see him again. I need his presence. How, when your children are grown, do you continue on?
kathi i know this is an old blog but i hope you are ok now. we just lost our female basset hound, she was almost 11 years old, its only been 4 days but i mayself am hurting over it.
I lost my dog 3 years ago and can’t get over it. I devoted 16.5 years to her. It was like I had a big hole in my heart when I had to let the vet put her to sleep. God I never wish this on anyone. She was in pain at the end and her systems were shutting down. I had no choice. This act, killed me also.
Im trying to recover from self distructing. I wish there were support groups for this. Someone to call.
if you know of any, call me 713-885-1995 JC
So sorry for your loss, John. I don’t know of any support groups, but you’re right, there ought to be. Blessings.
John, there are support groups! http://www.rainbowbridge.com/Grief_Support_Center/Grief_Support_Home.htm
We lost our dear trusty companion of 15 years yesterday. Birch, a Springer Spaniel was a beautiful pet and one that has not only lefta huge hole in our lives but even our cat, Diesel, is moping about the house not wanting to go out and jumping at the least wee noise thinking it’s her. They got on so well.
The pain of losing a pet is almost incomprehensible. Words are difficult to put together to describe the pain that is felt in the heart.
Even today, just 24 hours after our loss, both of us have moments where we just sob our hearts out.
I believe that there is a place in heaven for our animals. God did not create a ‘throwaway’ creation. We are told in Genesis that he created ‘living’ creatures. Everyhting that has life breathes and everything that breathes has soul. He looked upon everything he had made and it as good.
IN Revelation 5:13 we read that ‘Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing….’ Yeh, singing!! God must have a place in His Home for the animals He made that have passed. Heaven and a new heaven anad new earth would be a sorry place without them, and I don’t believe for a moment that we will be re-united again. Yes, animal souls are different to us. it clearly states that we are a different species altogether in Genesis. God ‘Breathed’ His life into the life of man (humankind) where he created everything else. I miss my pets that have gone on before so so much, and my hubby and I are still very very sore with the loss of Birch yesterday. We nver forget them and their memories will live on in our hearts, as long as we have breath! My heart goes out to all who have suffered loss on here. x
Beautiful thoughts, Angi. “God did not create a ‘throwaway’ creation.” I completely agree with you.
It’s been six months and I still had a good cry today about my dog. I look forward to seeing her again, too.
Thank you Kathleen. As I was making supper I hada little too much [asta in the pot and it brought back memory of Birch. Once cool the extra would have been mixed in with her meat. Now she isn’t here. (:
My son phoned me to day and said ‘she’ll be playing with Holly now.’ (that was our other Springer who we lost in 2007) and it brought tears as everything is so fresh.
I do like your blog and am reading some others too. God bless you. You will always have moments of tears. Whether it is a pet we lose or a loved one (human) we remember the by different thoughts or things, music or memory. x
Sorry! Made a mistake in above message. The sentence ” Heaven and a new heaven and new earth would be a sorry place without them, and I don’t believe for a moment that we will be re-united again”
should read ” Heaven and a new heaven and new earth would be a sorry place without them, and I don’t believe for a moment that we will ‘not’ be re-united again” Yes, I believe that they will be waiting.
My heart is so heavy, I lost my sweet naughty Cocker Spaniel 3 days ago to renal failure. I’ve been weepy and mad and everything in between. I’m just searching for comfort that I will see my best friend again. I have such a hard time believing God would give me such a wonderful gift, and take it away, never to let me see her again. She has been with me for almost 15 years, through marriage, babies born , good times and hard times, she was a part of my family. My heart just Hurts. Thank you for writing this, your Narnia was a cutie, we’ll see them again. I dot need a lot in my heaven. Just the basics.
We just lost our precious Miniature Pinscher, Lexie one week ago. She was with us for 12 years and was as much a member of our family as any human being…more so in many ways! We had to put her down following an onslaught of physical issues. It was so painful and we never imagined how deeply it would hurt to lose her. In a matter of a few days, I found her favorite old ball that we hadn’t seen in 2 years and then, she came to me in a dream early one morning. I couldn’t see her, but intensely felt her presence next to me. We were both looking at a picture in the distance. It was our other two dogs. Lexie told me in a telepathic manner, “I’m okay. Just take care of Bella and Wylie now.” It was so comforting. We had her cremated and her cremains will go to my grave with me!
On March 20, I lost my 15 year, 10 month old Bichon Sheri to kidney disease. She just missed her 16th birthday which would have been May 14th. The tears just won’t stop flowing. I miss her so much. She was such an important part of my life. I don’t know how I’m ever going to feel happy again without her. The sadness and grief is so overwhelming. I have to believe that I will see my sweet Sheri again. Then we found out that our other 9 year old dog has bone cancer so he will be leaving us too. It’s all too much to bear. The only thing that keeps us going is that we will see them again. I’m thankful that I found this site where others think as I do. God bless all here and all who share the loss if their beloved furry family member. <3
my dog died 15 years ago and we only stayed together for a very brief time of 6 months. i’ve missed her since then, and still would weep when i think about her or see pics of dogs. i’ve never had another pet after her. i wish and i believe that i would see her again someday. i’m not a christian nor do i really gave a religion; i just believe so. thanks for your sharing. all our loved ones who have gone before us will be there waiting for us to share eternity.
Hi!
Love this, thanks! We lost our dog Sammy just over a month ago. The only thing that gives me solace and peace is that I know without a shadow of doubt we will see him again. It gets better, he will remember me! When Christ came to earth, He gave His life for us, but then rose on the third day, known as the resurrection ( spirit and body reunited never to be separated again). The gift of the resurrection extends to all living things. How wonderful is that? Our Saviour was not mincing words when he said, ” I am the way, the truth and the LIFE. He loved us enough to give His life. What’s important to me ( which is good), is important to Him and also to our Father in Heaven. Have faith my friends, for we will indeed be with our ‘furry’ friends again.
Kathleen,
What beautiful thoughts and wonderful comments. I said goodbye to my most precious boy last night. The ache and emptiness I feel is unbelievable. It made me think about this very question. I asked a minister and he said no that our pets would not return to us and explained why. After I got off the phone I googled this question and found your blog. I have to agree. God has promised us that in the New World that he will wipe out every tear from our eyes and death will be no more. He tells us that we will be happy and I believe some of our happiness is based on our life now. For people like me, I never had children. My pets have been my children. I know there will be many more joys and things yet untold to us that we will experience in the New World but I have to believe that some of our happiness is based on the joys of this life and many of my joys and milestones in my life our based on pets. I look forward to the promised New World and look forward to being reunited with all of my fur babies. RIP my sweet sweet Jett and I will see you again very soon!
The minister doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The Church has never seen the need to issue a dogmatic statement on this subject. Please find comfort in reading this article:
http://www.carolsnotes.net/2014/04/guest-post-an-eastern-orthodox-perspective-on-the-eternal-destiny-of-animals/
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I truly appreciate your efforts and I am waiting for your further
write ups thank you once again.
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dear Kathleen, I agree with you, your words were precious to me, pets , especially my dear bunny that died last month are very important to me and are like children, since i have none…. i want to believe like you that God will give them back to us….
We lost our beLOVED cat and dog within three months of one another. It’s now been over two years ago and I still miss them all the time. Miss as in a painful ache that sometimes feels as though it could consume me. I am not embarrassed by the intensity or tenacious quality of these feelings. Not at all. If you knew them as I knew them, you would understand. Suffice it to say that spending my life with them, as I did, I would not trade a single day with them for all the grief that I have felt and will likely always feel. They were singularly splendid creatures. Being childless, they were my children. All I know is that if God wants to give me the desires of my heart, he will give them back to me, as my deepest and most profound desire is to be reunited with them and to never be separated from them again. I love you Maggie. I love you Puppy. Forever.
The Holy Orthodox Church has never to my knowledge dogmatized the ultimate fate of corporeal non-human creatures since they are guiltless before their Creator. She has rightly so been preoccupied with the salvation of human beings who will give account before God for every idle word they have spoken.
And since animals have no guilt even though they commit acts that were never intended by God, they either pass out of existence OR they are restored and refashioned with a *new* body as befits their nature for existence in the New Creation.
Some argue that our souls were made immortal when God breathed into man’s nostrils while those of the animals are not.
But ONLY GOD is immortal (I Timothy 6:16); every created being, man included, exists only by the energies and grace of the Most Holy Trinity (Acts: 17:28).
“Instead of remaining in the state in which God had created them, they were in process of becoming corrupted entirely, and death had them completely under its dominion. For the transgression of the commandment was making them turn back again according to their nature; and as they had at the beginning come into being out of non-existence, so were they now on the way to returning, through corruption, to non-existence again.
The presence and love of the Word had called them into being; inevitably, therefore when they lost the knowledge of God, they lost existence with it; for it is God alone Who exists, evil is non-being, the negation and antithesis of good. By nature, of course, man is mortal, since he was made from nothing; but he bears also the Likeness of Him Who is, and if he preserves that Likeness through constant contemplation, then his nature is deprived of its power and he remains incorrupt.”
(St. Athanasius the Great: On the Incarnation: Chapter I, S.4, vv. 6 – 10.)
“The teaching that the human soul is naturally immortal is from the devil.”
(St. Irenaeus of Lyon: Proof of the Apostolic Preaching, III, 20.1)
None of us possess an intrinsically “immortal” soul that is able to exist apart from the energies of God.
And while the Church has rightly discerned the will of God that human souls will continue to exist after physical death, she has never, to my knowledge, stated dogmatically concerning the continuing existence of the souls of corporeal non-human creatures after their physical death. (Angels are incorporeal non-human creatures.)
St. Irenaeus of Lyon hinted at the resurrection of animals in his work Against Heresies, a text of the very earliest times (late 2nd Century):
“… nevertheless in the resurrection of the just [the words shall also apply] to those animals mentioned. For God is rich in all things. And it is right that when the creation is restored, all the animals should obey and be in subjection to man, and revert to the food originally given by God (for they had been originally subjected in obedience to Adam), that is, the productions of the earth.”
(St. Irenaeus of Lyon: Against Heresies: Book V, chapter 33, v. 4)
If a sinner such as I can weep at the death of a faithful and loving dog, then surely from what we know of the character of Christ – He must love them even more. And since He never intended death for ANY part of His creation (Wisdom 1:13), and His Father notices the death of each and every tiny bird, and both Scripture and Tradition clearly imply that there will be animals in the New Creation, why then would He not restore those guiltless creatures who never turned against Him, but suffer corruption and death due to the self-willed rebellion of man?
I’m well aware that St. Gregory Palamas referred to animal souls passing out of existence and human souls not so passing as part of his defense of Hesychasm when describing the energies and essence of God, but this is quite possibly a line of thought from Greek philosophy and seems to be contradicted by the writings of St. Irenaeus, St. Justin Martyr, St. Theophilus of Antioch and St. Athanasius the Great.
In any regard I’m not aware that any regional Council and certainly not one of the Ecumenical Councils ever approved a canon declaring dogmatically upon the ultimate fate of the animal creation.
So while we are left with theologoumenons (private opinions) in this matter, I choose to agree with St. Symeon the New Theologian that ALL of creation will be renewed and restored to Edenic perfection.
“… our Lord Jesus Christ came down to earth and became man in order to re-create and renew man and bring down blessing upon the whole creation which had been subjected to the curse for the sake of man, therefore, first of all He brought to life the soul which He had received, and deified it, while His most pure and divine body, although He made it divine, nevertheless He bore corruptible and crudely material. … But why, together with His soul, did He not immediately make His body incorruptible and spiritual? Because Adam, after transgressing the commandment of God, in soul died immediately, but in body he died only after so many years. … Thus every saint is as we have said; but their bodies do not become immediately incorruptible and spiritual. …
And for what reason is this? For this reason: it is not fitting for the bodies of men to be clothed in the glory of the resurrection and to become incorrupt before the renewal of all creatures. But just as in the beginning, first the whole creation was created incorrupt, and from it man was taken and made, so also it is fitting that again first all the creation should become incorrupt, and then the corruptible bodies of men also should be renewed and become incorrupt, so that once more the whole man might be incorrupt and spiritual and might dwell in an incorruptible, eternal and spiritual dwelling.
(St. Symeon the New Theologian: Homily 45: Adam and the First-Created World, sec. 3)
And this from another Orthodox priest:
“A great saint by the name of St. Isaac the Syrian said that heaven is the presence and love of God. Heaven is not a place high above the earth, like a planet or a star. God is everywhere and heaven is the enjoyment of the sunshine of his love.
Do animals survive beyond death and go to heaven? That’s a hard question. In the lives of saints, we are told that many had animals as good friends. In Orthodox icons, St. Gerasimos is shown with a lion. The saint has just pulled a thorn from the lion’s paw, which he holds tenderly. Both the man and the lion gaze happily toward Christ, who is in heaven. St. Seraphim of Sarov, who lived in a forest for many years, is shown peacefully feeding a huge grizzly bear.
I have no doubt that these saints would rejoice in seeing their animal friends in heaven.
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Gerasimos_of_the_Jordan
http://simplyorthodox.tumblr.com/post/11024270393
What does the Bible say about this? Not much explicitly. The Bible’s focus is on people, the salvation of their souls, their resurrection at the end of time, and the fullness of life in God’s eternal light.
However, the first and last books of the Bible tell us something hopeful about all creatures of the earth. The book of Genesis says that “God made the wild animals…and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:25)! In the book of Psalms we read: “Every wild animal of the forest is mine…. I know all the birds of the air, and all that moves in the field is mine” (Psalm 50:10). Would not a loving God want all things that He has made to live with Him forever?
A hint of this is in the book of Revelation, which teaches that evil and the power of death, which are a corruption of all that is good, will be completely defeated and a new world more glorious than ours will arise. God’s promise is: “See, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
Why should death finally win out and swallow up any of God’s good creatures? Would not God then be defeated, and death proves stronger than God? Because God is the ruler of all creation, and loves everything in it with a love that never fails, I have hope that we will see our pets again somehow, just as St. Gerasimos will see his lion, and St. Seraphim his bear.”
Father Theodore Stylianopoulos, Th.D.
(Fr. Ted was part of the theological staff for New Testament that produced the Orthodox Study Bible.)
And He Who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation: 21:5)
(You’ll notice He did not say that He would “make all new things.”)
Yes indeed. “Come Lord Jesus.”
“Man is not a being isolated from the rest of creation; by his very nature he is bound up with the whole of the universe… In his way to union with God, man in no way leaves creatures aside, but gathers together in his love the whole cosmos disordered by sin, that it may be transfigured by grace”
— St Maximus the Confessor
“A new heaven and a new earth”: man is not saved from his body but in it; not saved from the material world but with it. Because man is microcosm and mediator of the creation, his own salvation involves also the reconciliation and transfiguration of the whole animate and inanimate creation around him—its deliverance ‘from the bondage of corruption’ and entry ‘into the glorious liberty of the children of God’ [Rom. 8:21]. In the ‘new earth’ of the Age to come there is surely a place not only for man but for the animals: in and through man, they too will share in immortality, and so will rocks, trees and plants, fire and water.” – Metropolitan Kallistos Ware
http://orthodoxyandanimals.tumblr.com/
We, my son and I, lost our beloved Shadow on Wed., August 11. Its been 4 days and my heart is still shattered. He was 14 when he left us.. He was without a doubt my best friend. He was only 6 months old, a beautiful black and white Australian Shepherd. My son picked him out of the humane society. While we waited our turn to adopt him, someone else in front of us adopted him. However, God wanted him with us. They brought him back. They were the third family to adopt him and bring him back, so he was technically no longer adoptable. (Being a natural clown, he had what some considered “behavioral issues”/ My son was elated they brought him back, and we took him with us. What a total blessing! He brought so much laughter, love and cohesion to our small family. I am a single mom, with out any relatives in our state.My son is my only child. While we have family, they are very distant. Shadow helped me raise my son, now 20, We have been through many traumatic events – he consoled us both and stood by our sides through all of them. The celebratory times were even more joyful because of him. We adopted two other “non-adoptable” four legged boys. Shadow was clearly the alph a in our little pack. They are as miserable as my son and I over his passing. I was not able to sleep tonight – the hole in heart so big that used to be filled by Shaddy. I found your blog because I was looking for more evidence I will see him again. I am hanging on to the Rainbow Bridge – and can’t wait to see my sweet loyal friend again. Thank you for the posts so much. God bless you all!
Thank you Kathleen! I too believe in the resurrection of people and pets. God’s Kingdom will come to this earth. Many scriptures prove it. I look forward to reading “Surprised By Hope”.
I lost my Rocky a shih tzu october 26 of this year he was shy of his ninth year he was poisoned by sone heartless bastard who had a grudge on me. Why not me why my dear pet who was inocent in every aspect? Till this day i still miss him i miss him lying down on my bed before i could go to bed i miss his barking and his tugging at my feet for comfort. I wish he would be there to greet me when I go for good.
I am so sorry, Glenn. What a tragedy. I’m sure you’ll see your sweet Rocky again someday.
Our family dog Missy a german shepard…passed away today and i do not know what i would do if i thought i was not going to see her again..so yes i like to believe we will see our pets again on a paradise earth.
Last night when we had to put our dog to sleep that was the only thing that held me somewhat together, is knowing when I return home to God, I will be with my furry kids again. Chance (our dog) is the second dog we have had to put down in 10 months. They were both very elderly 13 and 14 but I can’t wait to see them again. How could God not want them in heaven, they are named after him after all :)
I just lost my beloved Malachi of 16 years this last Saturday. He was a gift from God to me, God’s gifts are irrevocable. The Lord gave him to me in this life and the next because life is eternal, death is temporal, not the other way around as this hopeless world would want us to believe. Malachi is mine forever, I love him forever and the temporal separation is so painful
Beautiful thoughts. I agree with you completely. So sorry for your loss.
I lost my dog March 24 2016 from epilepsy. That was only 2 days ago. I’m in tears typing this. I’ve known my dog, milo, ever since 2008 . it’d be very cruel for God to not bring back animals as well as humans back to life, especially the ones we loved. thank all of you. I needed this.
I lost my Antonio, yesterday I buried him with my Adolfo who I lost 2 years ago, my heaven will only be with my pack so since I think I am going to heaven I will see them again, but then today I can only cry for my antonio, what a gift God gave me when he put him on my path.
I lost my tiny Maltese Trixie April 28,2016. She was born in 2005 and has been by my side for 11 years.She was a character that mad me laugh everyday.Baths,grooming,walking,sleeping,let’s just say We did it all.No more barking when I walk in the door at 10:00pm.No more laying on my lap.No more playing with her.”EVER”! It’s all gone.Even though she was a tiny girl,she was Tough. I can “NEVER”replace this dog or will even try. I am sure most or all of you feel the same way Angry and depressed at the same time.Why such a short life span for animals? Why give us such a Great gift,Then take it away! All animals have their own personality. They are like children. Our Children! I have no answers and at this point I have no faith either. I do believe in a higher power,but not what’s in the bible. Who wrote it? Why so many versions? I am sorry to be a Debbie downer,but that’s my feelings on it. Now all I have is her buried in my yard to remind me everyday I look out the window of who she was.FAMILY
I just had to put my little buddy Finn down last Friday. He was only seven and had back problems every six months or so. He had been bit by my cousins dog the previous Friday which turned into paralysis by Tuesday in his back legs and he was unable to control his bladder. The vet didn’t want me to take him home so I had to make one of the toughest decision of my life which was to put him down. My wife and mom were there when this happened, so they both got to say goodbye. We did not tell my 2 1/2 year old daughter that we had to put Finn down and she really hadn’t realized he wasn’t around anymore. But Sunday my wife and I were at church with our daughter watching the sermon from the family room. Where you can see everything going on in the church but you are behind a huge pane of glass and listening on speakers. My daughter had been coloring on the floor in the family room for about 15 minutes. She suddenly looks up at the ceiling and says that “there’s a shadow”. Then she says that “It’s Finny” *a short pause* “He is jumping around and making noises” *Another short pause* “He is wearing boots”. In a matter of a few seconds I completely lost it emotionally. He couldn’t walk when I put him down and his back legs were paralyzed so just hearing this made think he is just fine and that one day I will get to hold him again. This blog has also helped me with the belief that I will see my Finnegan again someday.
I’m so sorry for your loss. But what an incredible vision your daughter had! I’m confident you will be reunited.
The average cost of pet cremation is about $50-$150. The cost tends to vary because it depends on factors like the type of cremation you choose, your pet’s weight, your location, and so on.
I feel your pain. I lost my Miniature schnauzer, Max, on January the 15th 2018, from kidney failure and all I have done is cried. My heart and chest hurt so bad I wonder if a person can die from a broken heart. If they could, I’d surely be dead. I love this article that you put on here and will share it with my daughter who also lost her pet on Dec the 26, 2017. God Bless you and your family….
Animals have souls and spirits, God has a contract with them prior to humans, because animals cannot read the bible. Heaven would be boring without animals, so common-sense prevails here offcourse animals will be with us in the new engineered earth.
Be wary of those so called christians who like to misinterpret the bible and put man as for front of everything. God said we as humans cause of sin need saving, not animals.
I am crying as I read this. My precious little girl was a rescue but I say we rescued each other. She became very sick and passed away last February. I keep telling myself that God will bring her back despite other Christians believing otherwise
I lost my heart dog, the closest thing I could have to a human daughter, just a few days ago. I’ve been on the web for days searching for comfort and reassurance that we will once again be reunited in God’s Kingdom. When she died, she took a part of me with her. I want her to be happy in her new place in Heaven, and hope dearly that she will want to see me again when it’s my time.
I lost my beloved fox terrier cross Benjie 4 weeks ago, he was 15, I loved him so much, I’m typing this with tears running down my cheeks. We were together for some very hard times for me. Benjie really saw me through it all. He was amazing, loved his walks loved his garden, the only Comfort is thinking I will see him again one day. Thanks for this blog it’s really comforting.
Well if you think about it look at Noah’s Ark obviously God cared so much about the animals he had more of them on the Ark then people! They are apart of his creation so yes I believe that animals will be in heaven as they were on earth makes a lot of since. Animals don’t have a soul like ours but they have a spirit and that spirit goes to heaven.
I just found this site as I am searching for answers. MY dachshund Sadie passed August11 2020. I am so devastated and so lost. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing in my heart I will see her again when I pass. She was everything to me. Thank you for this blog. To those of you suffering I send my blessings to you.
The death of our animals can be just as painful, if not more than, grieving the loss of a family member or friend. Thank you for sharing your story.
During reading your blog I was stunned. it is very painful when a pet dies. Sorry for your loss!
Great post!!
Thanks for sharing this blog here with us.