Bible Topics
Pope Francis Decrees That All Animals Go To Heaven
There are no verses in the bible that even hints that the soul of an animal goes to Heaven when it dies. In fact, there is scripture that absolutely declares that they do not.

Pope Francis declared recently in his regular weekly address at St. Peter’s Square that animals go to heaven
There are no verses in the bible that even hints that the soul of an animal goes to Heaven when it dies. In fact, there is scripture that absolutely declares that they do not. The book of Ecclesiastes says that when a man and an animal die, though their bodies are both buried and become dust, their spirits go to two very different places:
“Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” Ecclesiastics 3:21
You would think being the Pope and all, that Francis would have a working grasp on the most basic of bible teachings. Evidently, he does not. So, we must understand Pope Francis’ new doctrine on the salvation of animals and their subsequent journey to heaven in light of the First Vatican Council of 1870 which reaffirmed the Vatican teaching that the Pope is infallible when we teaches doctrine to his followers. Please note the following:
“Therefore, faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, to the glory of God our savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion and for the salvation of the Christian people, with the approval of the Sacred Council, we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable. So then, should anyone, which God forbid, have the temerity to reject this definition of ours: let him be anathema.” On the infallible teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, chapter 4 source
This now sets up the very interesting situation that, by the doctrine of the Vatican’s own councils, Pope Francis is now a false prophet and teacher according to Roman Catholic teachings. If he doesn’t recant, he remains a false teacher, and if he recants he admits there is no such thing as “papal infallibility”. What will he do?
“And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” Revelation 19:14
Yes, the bible shows that there are animals in Heaven, but no where does it show or say that animals are going there after they die on earth.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6
The above verse from Isaiah is describing the Millennial Reign Of Jesus Christ for one thousand years on the EARTH. It is not talking about animals in Heaven.
The Pope made the statement while trying to comfort a boy who was upset about the death of his pet dog. Quoting several biblical passages as evidence that animals go to heaven, Pope Francis said, “The holy scripture teaches us that the fulfillment of this wonderful design also affects everything around us… what lies ahead… is therefore a new creation… It is not an annihilation of the universe and all that surrounds us. Rather it brings everything to its fullness of being, truth and beauty.”
The 77-year-old pontiff then concluded: “One day we will see our animals again in eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all God’s creatures.”
Reacting to Francis’ statement, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera wrote optimistically that the pontiff had effectively declared an expansive “hope of salvation and eschatological beatitude to animals and the whole of creation.”
While the declaration from the controversial pontiff might have brought consolation and relief to animal-loving Catholics who have mourned the loss of a pet, it probably caused Church conservatives more hand-wringing over their fears about their pope’s escalating “liberalism.”
