Part Eight: “Animals Have
Souls—but Are They Immortal Souls?”
We saw in the previous blog article that at least sentient animals have
souls (animals that are able to feel and perceive things). Although most
theologians agree with this, many assume that animal souls, unlike human souls,
are mortal—they are extinguished when the animal dies. In order to discern
which view is correct, that is, whether or not animals have immortal
souls, can be determined to a large degree on the meaning of two Hebrew words: nephesh
(soul) and ruach (spirit). So the task at hand is to flesh out their
meanings within the context of how they are used in passages relating to
animals. If these two words describe human souls and spirits (which we know are
immortal) and also refer to animal souls, it’s reasonable to conclude
they too are immortal.
Nephesh: The Hebrew word nephesh is translated soul 238 times—more
than a hundred times its second most common usage (life). Nephesh, when translated as “soul,” refers to our
immaterial self, that part of our being that continues to exist once it’s released
from our bodies upon physical death. Does this mean the word nephesh,
when speaking of animals, indicates that they have souls? The following
passages suggest that it does. (Scripture quotes from the New American Standard
Bible.)
Genesis 1:20: “Let the waters team with swarms of living
creatures” (nephesh—souls).
Genesis 1:24: “Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth
living creatures (nephesh--souls) after their kind. . . .’”
Genesis 1:30: “. . . and to every beast of the earth and to
every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life”
(nephesh--soul).
Genesis 2:19: “. . . and whatever [Adam] called a living creature
(nephesh--soul), that was its name.”
Job 12:10: “In whose
[God’s] hand is the life (nephesh—soul) of every living thing. . . .
Proverbs 12:10: “The righteous man has regard for the life
(nephesh--soul) of his animal.”
Some skeptics argue that in the above passages soul is referring to an
animating “life force,” not an immortal soul. In the following passages,
however, spirit is also applied to animals. So even if soul (nephesh)
means an animating life force, spirit (ruach) would still imply
immortality of animal souls—given soul and spirit are synonymous in animals.
The following passages illustrate this.
Ruach: The Hebrew word ruach is translated
breath, wind, or spirit. However, it’s used 203 times for spirit—more
than twice it’s next most common usage (wind). The following passages
show that the Hebrew word translated spirit, just like the Hebrew word
translated soul, is ascribed to both humans and animals:
Genesis 6:17: “Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of
waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh [human and animal] in which is the breath
[ruach—spirit] of life.”
Genesis 7:15: So
they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which there was the
breath [ruach—spirit] of life.
Genesis 7:22: . . . of all that was on the dry land, all in
which nostrils was the breath of the spirit [ruach] of life,
died.
Psalm 104: 29: You hide Your face, they [the animals] are
dismayed; You take away their spirit [ruach] they expire and
return to their dust.
Ecclesiastes 3:19: For the fate of the sons of men and the fate
of beasts is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have
the same breath [ruach—spirit] and there is no advantage for man
over beast.”
This brief word study shows that the Hebrew words translated soul and
spirit are applied to both humans and animals. In light of this, if human souls
are immortal it seems reasonable and probable that animal souls are also
immortal—especially since nothing in the Bible tells us that animal souls are
extinguished upon physical death. Still, this alone may not convince some
skeptics. They typically raise several objections. We’ll examine them in the
next couple blog articles.
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