“We know that in the Bible, ultimate redemption will extend to the whole of creation: i.e. Romans 8:21—‘that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God,’” said Dr. Dale Welden, senior pastor of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. “I don’t know of a reason it would not extend to animals.” Another example is Luke 3:6, which says, “and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” In the last book of the Bible, the Revelation, Christ says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Randy Alcorn, author of Heaven, believes that this extends to animals. In the book, he writes, “Horses, cats, dogs, deer, dolphins, and squirrels—as well as the inanimate creation—will be beneficiaries of Christ’s death and resurrection.” It seems that God meant animals to be part of His world—now and in the age to come.
In 2007, my family lost a beloved cat. BB was like a member of our family, and the experience nearly broke our hearts. After we buried him, we began to ask ourselves: will we see him again in the afterlife? When I realized that there had to be many other Christian pet owners out there who struggle with the same question, I set out to look for answers amongst local ministers and in the pages of the Bible.
As for me, I believe that God will restore our beloved pets for us in Heaven, not because they have souls, but for our pleasure. As Alcorn writes, “If we believe God is their Creator, that He loves us and them, that He intends to restore His creatures from the bondage they experienced because of our sin, then we have biblical grounds for not only wanting but expecting that we may be with them again on the New Earth.”
Jesus said, “All things are possible to him who believes!” If you believe that, then get ready for one big ole animal reunion in Heaven.
But many others insist that certain Bible passages indicate that animals do have souls (the same word, nephesh, which translates to “soul” is used in reference to both humans and animals) though not of the same kind that people have. Though the Bible does not clearly state whether or not animals have souls (and thus can be reborn), more and more religious leaders are considering the prospect. In fact, in 1990, Pope John Paul II said, “the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren.”
Aside from other shocking accusations—such as the claim that his brother, Prince William, knocked him to the floor during an argument—the 38-year-old also spoke of his decade-long service in the British army, which included being in charge of firing missiles from an Apache attack helicopter.
Prince Harry has been the subject of criticism from the military community and beyond after stating in his memoir Spare that he killed 25 members of the Taliban, according to reporting from leaked copies.
“It’s not so much the fact of talking about having killed but the attitude that he seems to express in the way he talks about it,” Wolfendale tells TIME.
Harry’s comments are also reminiscent of a separate controversy during a 2013 interview where he compared his control of the weapons system as a “joy,” likening it to “playing PlayStation and Xbox,” according to the Guardian.
The Duke of Sussex wrote that he killed 25 suspected Taliban insurgents during his two tours of Afghanistan. According to reports from the leaked manuscript he said he was neither “satisfied” or “embarrassed” by the fact. “In truth, you can’t hurt people if you see them as people,” Harry said. “They were chess pieces taken off the board, bad guys eliminated before they kill good guys. They trained me to ‘other’ them and they trained me well.”
The plan of salvation is designed for human beings, not for animals. Since animals cannot reason and make moral decisions, they are not included in the salvation God has offered to humans. Jesus died to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, NKJV). We are saved through our faith in Him. John 3:16 (KJV) says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should nor perish, but have everlasting life.” In order for one to be saved, one has to believe in Jesus. But animals cannot exercise saving faith in Jesus.
Yet there are some points we can consider. God created everything—including animals—for His pleasure and His glory. The Bible says, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11, NKJV). Human beings were specifically created for God’s glory. “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him; yes, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7, NKJV). But the Bible speaks of even inanimate objects, such as the sun, moon, and stars, praising God (see Psalm 148:3). Of course, we know these objects cannot praise God in the same way we humans can. However, they praise God by shining. By carrying out the role God planned for them, they glorify their Creator.
The best advice is for us to love our pets and enjoy them while they are here with us—and trust God in everything for the future. He sees and knows all, and nothing is too hard for Him to do. God knows how much we love our pets and how much they mean to us. The Bible doesn’t directly address whether our pets will be with us in heaven, but we do know that God loves us and wants us to be happy. The Bible says, “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11, NKJV). We can trust God that heaven will be a place filled with everything necessary for our happiness.
One of the most poignant stories in the Bible is the parable the prophet Nathan told to King David. The prophet told the king of a poor man and his pet lamb. He said, “The poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him” (2 Samuel 12:3, NKJV).
We must not insist that God orders things according to our desires or understanding. Perhaps God may allow our beloved pets to be with us in heaven. Or He may choose to create a new pet for you. We must be willing to allow God to order things as He sees best—and trust that we will be happy with the situation in heaven. God says, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17, NKJV).