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Sunday, June 27, 2010

John Wesley on the redemption of animals

John Wesley apparently believed that animals would be redeemed, when the effects of the Fall are overthrown by God: May it not answer another end; namely, furnish us with a full answer to a plausible objection against the justice of God, in suffering numberless creatures that never had sinned to be so severely punished? They could not sin, for they were not moral agents. Yet how severely do they suffer! -- yea, many of them, beasts of burden in particular, almost the whole time of their abode on earth; So that they can have no retribution here below. But the objection vanishes away, if we consider that something better remains after death for these poor creatures also; that these, likewise, shall one day be delivered from this bondage of corruption, and shall then receive an ample amends for all their present sufferings. John Wesley, Sermon 60, "The General Deliverance."

He also believed that animals are not moral agents, but that they do suffer.

Thanks for reading.

2 comments:

Keetha Broyles said...

Something to think about.

I'm NEAR L.C.O. in a hotel in Hayward with Sister Pam and dad - - - and this post is sparking QUITE a discussion here as we wait to go to church!

Dad's even looking up Romans 8:18 on

Martin LaBar said...

Enjoy Wisconsin!

I was a little surprised by Wesley's forthrightness on this issue myself.

Thanks.