Harry E Herman

A Christian Theology on the Redemption of our Animal Friends Harry E Herman

The author, Mr. Herman says: "I have always been in love with my canine-friends. They taught me intheir own unique ways to be more fully human by becoming more tender-loving and caring to both man/woman and animals. They always live for the moment; yet, never losing their gifts from God of non-judgmental, loyal friendship, and unconditional love for the human family." Mr. Herman continues: ]My research on animal-soul redemption started way back, prompted by my Catholic grade school experience in the 1950's, when the catechist informed the class that man/woman have a soul to go to heaven after death, while animals only have a body without hope of ever going to heaven. I was confused. I could not believe what I was hearing, that God was selfish and unkind. He gave us our animal-friends to love and be loved, only to destroy that love. I was twelve years old, but I decided, there and then, the catechist was dead-wrong, and I was going to prove it . . . even if it took me a lifetime!" Fifty years later: The impending death of my soul mate for almost eighteen years - my poodle-terrier friend, Tiger II, prompted me to study theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California, graduating in 2007 with an MA degree in Theological Studies (MTS) at age sixty-seven. My graduate studies armed me with sophisticated tools to research and write a theological treatise that addresses the Roman Catholic Church's (and other Christian Churches) age-old confused thinking and ambivalent attitude on animal soul redemption, tracing the confusion to the Church's fixation on a one-dimensional (primary only) level of relationship with God when, in reality, God has ordained a duality of relationship i.e., a primary relationship with His angels and man/woman; and, a secondary relationship with animals. There is really nothing novel about animals having eternal life. They all enjoyed eternal life at creation together with man/woman and plants in the garden-paradise of Eden on earth before the Fall when death was unknown. The story of Adam and Eve in Eden (our first parents, as humanity had to start from somewhere) is not allegorical. It is the very foundation of our Christian Faith - the raison d'etre' for the Son of God, the Incarnate Jesus Christ, coming down to earth to redeem all of fallen creation i.e., not only man/woman who caused the fall, but also animals and plants since Jesus Christ is God and the Redeemer of all creation. This Divine reality is revealed in Holy Scripture. The late Pope John Paul II acknowledged this reality in 1990, when he affirmed "animals too have a soul just like men."115 Unfortunately, the Holy Father died in 2005, unable to complete the animal redemption theology after laying the the very foundation that "animals too have a soul just like men."