The most recent edition of "Christianity Today" (July 2009) contains a wonderful article titled "Not One Sparrow". This article asserts that as Christians "we can be 'speciesists' and show compassion for animals". The article is partly a response to a recent blog post. It is that blog that I also wish to respond to.I must confess that when I read Christianity Today's commentary on her blog I was outraged. I wondered how she could be so Biblically confused on this topic. After reading her blog in its entirety, however, I now understand the basic point she was trying to make. She correctly points out that, "God put animals under the care of human beings, and we are responsible to treat them with love and kindness (Gen. 1:28). He holds us accountable for his creation - I mean, he's the one who thought up puppies and gorillas in the first place, and we will answer to him for how we cared for and nurtured his planet and his animals." (SOURCE) In that paragraph, Kay Warren has done a fine job explaining our responsibility towards animals. The Bible is clear that, "A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal" (Pr 12:10).
She then proceeds to make the following statement:
"Animals and people are two different classes of created beings and they will never be equal in their worth. As precious as animals are to our daily existence, they operate from instinct, not volition. Only people have a spiritual dimension. We are the ones created in the image of the Creator, the only ones with a soul. Ultimately, people matter most. Jesus didn't die for animals; he gave his all for human beings." (SOURCE)
That the Lord Jesus did not die for animals is obvious. He became a man to die for "those who through the fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives" (Heb 2:15). He did not die for angels and He did not die for animals (Heb 2:16). Indeed He only died for His people. Humans are created in the image of God and in this way we are very unique among God's creation (Gen 1:26-28). Only mankind has been created in God's image. Angels were not created in God's image and animals were not created in God's image. Therefore as humans we have a unique position in God's created order. Positionally we are above the animals and the angels (1Cor 6:3, Gen 1:26, 30). That does not mean, however, that we can behave in disrespectful ways towards angels or animals. As Kay Warren has correctly said, "we are responsible to treat them with love and kindness" (Pr 12:10). This also does not mean that we are to be disrespectful towards angels (Jude 8-10).
Having said all of that, I do wish to take issue with several things Kay Warren has said.
Problem 1: She claims that only animals "operate from instinct, not volition". That is unBiblical. The Bible is clear that lost people live on instinct and in the flesh (Jude 12). Some animals have more sense than many people. Most intelligent animals do not kill their babies for the sake of convenience or something as vain as money. Yet humans do this everyday (abortion). The lost person is in serious trouble because they have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and are living in their flesh.
Problem 2: She claims, "Only people have a spiritual dimension." Again, a very unBiblical statement. While animals are not created in the image of God, and while Jesus did not die for animals, animals do have spirits. The Bible clearly states that animals, like man, have nephesh life (Gen 6:17, 7:15,22). This is the same term used to describe man as well (Gen 2:7). Man and beast share this attribute. Animals have souls. No, they do not have human souls and they are not equal with man but they have souls according to the Bible. Drs. Gary Habermas and J.P. Moreland rightly point out, "The history of Christian teaching is widely united in affirming the existence of the 'souls of men and beasts,' as it has sometimes been put." (pg 79, Beyond Death). Their statement can be supported by looking at the beliefs of men like C.S. Lewis, John Wesley, Billy Graham, Hank Hannagraaf, and others, all who believe that animals have souls that may even survive death. Simply put, Kay Warren is Biblically wrong to assert that animals do not have a spiritual dimension.
Problem 3: Kay Warren states, "Because people matter most, the next time you are offered the opportunity to sponsor a puppy or a gorilla, consider the 132,000,000 orphans in our world who would give anything to have a sponsor. But I have to tell you: As great as having a sponsor would be, these boys and girls dream daily of more; they yearn for a mom and a dad, a family - and a home." I would assert that Warren has created a false choice. As Christians we can and should be loving towards both. Certainly people come first, but that does not mean that we don't work to protect and help animals. After all, that is part of what God commanded us to do (Gen 1:26,30, Pr 12:10, etc). Though God cares more for humans than for animals, Scripture clearly teaches that God cares for animals and humans at the same time. Jesus is clear that God is knowledgable about the smallest animal that dies, not one sparrow falls apart from God's knowledge (Matt 10:29-31). My point? We don't have to choose, we can and must do both.
In Christ,
Martin
Martin
