CatholicApologetics

Today's question is the following: "Do animals have free will? If not, what is free will defined as? If so, can they sin, and did Jesus die for them as well?" Before answering the question, it's important to understand what free will actually entails. Free will is the God-given ability of human beings to choose freely between good and evil, enabling them to act voluntarily according to their reason and conscience.

Animals do not have free will the way humans do; they lack the capacity for moral reasoning, which are necessary for true free will. Just because animals are unable to make moral decisions does not mean they are not intelligent. Some animals are remarkably intelligent, exhibiting problem-solving, communication, and even emotional behaviors. However, their intelligence is fundamentally different from the rationality of humans. Animals operate according to instinct and learned behaviors, which can sometimes appear highly sophisticated. Yet, they do not possess the spiritual, immortal soul that allows humans to engage in moral reasoning or to know and love God in a conscious, voluntary way. Consequently, sin requires moral responsibility, which comes from the exercise of free will and rational intellect. Sin is a deliberate offense against God, requiring knowledge of the act's moral character and the freedom to choose it. Since animals lack rational souls, they are incapable of making such moral judgments or deliberately disobeying God. Their actions, even when they might cause harm, are not morally imputable.

So, we know they are unable to sin, but did Jesus still die for them? Jesus died specifically to redeem humanity from sin and reconcile us with God, as only humans, made in God's image, are capable of sin and moral responsibility. However, His sacrifice also has cosmic significance, as all creation, affected by sin's disorder, awaits renewal. Through Christ's death and resurrection, not only humanity but all creation will one day be restored to its original harmony and freed from corruption. In this sense, animals and the rest of creation are included in the redemptive plan of God—not because they sin or need salvation in the same way humans do, but because they are part of the created order that will one day be restored to its original harmony.

Animals cannot sin, but Jesus still died for them (in a sense). It seems these truths are converging to one essential question: Will we see animals in heaven? Or more specifically, will we see our pets in heaven? This question is not definitively answered by Church teaching, but there are theological reflections that provide hope and insight. Animals, as part of God's creation, reflect His glory and goodness (Genesis 1:25, Psalm 104). While they do not have immortal souls like humans, who are destined for eternal union with God, the renewal of all creation in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1, Romans 8:21) suggests that animals may share in this restored order. This is not because they require salvation but because they are part of the beauty and harmony of God's plan. For those who have beloved pets (including myself), it is reasonable to hope that God's infinite love and the joy of heaven might include a way for that love to be fulfilled. Heaven is the perfect fulfillment of all good desires aligned with God's will, and if our pets are part of what would contribute to that joy in God's perfect design, we can trust in His generosity and providence. While we cannot say with certainty that we will see our pets in heaven, we trust in God's goodness, knowing that all things will be made new and complete in Him.

Thank you to everybody who has read this week's Sunday School. I have formulated this post in a rather tired state, so I apologize if anything is unclear or confusing. If this is the case, please address me in the comments. Regardless, I hope it was an interesting read, and I encourouge all readers to continue their persuit of truth!

Today's question is the following: "Why did God send Jesus to die for our sins which only continue to multiply when he could have removed sin once and for all?" This is a brilliant question asked by @Shila. Before addressing it, readers must understand the basic principles of Christianity. For those fairly versed in the faith, feel free to skip to the next section. However, for those who do not know much about Christianity, I encourage you to continue reading here.

God has given humans a "code of conduct" which we are called to follow, a set of rules. For example, He tells us not to murder or steal (Exodus 20:13-15). A sin is deviance from these laws and an offense against God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) defines sin as the following: "Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law."" (CCC 1849). Sin is not just breaking a rule—it is a rupture in our relationship with God, who is the source of life itself. This separation from God naturally results in death, both physical and spiritual. As St. Paul says: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23).

As a general rule of thumb, everyone has sinned at one point or another. In Christian theology, Jesus Christ, who is God Himself, chose to take on the punishment  Himself to atone for the sins you and I have commited.

Now that we understand the basic framework of Christianity, we can begin to tackle the question more intimately. To remind all readers, the question posed was "Why did God send Jesus to die for our sins which only continue to multiply when he could have removed sin once and for all?"

There is a fundamental misunderstanding in the question above. We must understand the nature of God. God is infinitely just: "The Rock, his work is perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God, without deceit, just and upright is he" (Deuteronomy 32:4; cf. Psalm 7:11).  Because God is infinitely just, it is against His nature to simply "remove sin" without just consequences. Furthermore, in order to "remove sin once and for all," God would need to remove what makes us different: our free will. It is our free will that enables us to choose to sin or choose to uphold God's commandments. God gave us free will as a result of love. God created us for love, and love cannot exist without freedom. To love God, we must be free to choose Him rather than being forced. God knew that free will would allow for the possibility of sin because humans could misuse their freedom by choosing against Him. This is what happened with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. However, the alternative—creating beings incapable of moral choice—would negate the possibility of love and virtue. God deemed it better to create beings with the capacity for both great good and great evil than to create beings without the capacity for choice. St. Augustine addressed this when he wrote: "For God judged it better to bring good out of evil than not to permit any evil to exist" (Enchiridion, Chapter 8).

To answer the second part of the question ("Why did God send Jesus to die for our sins?"), we need to understand a crucial concept. The question is framed very ambiguously. Specifically when it states "Why did God send Jesus." I find that this presupposes that Jesus is not God Himself. A better phrasing would be, "Why did God the Father send God the Son to die for our sins?" This delves within the dogma of the Holy Trinity, the teaching that there are three distinct Persons within the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who are all God but not each other. In order to preemtively address confusion, allow me to give an analogy to visualize this concept. The Trinity is like the sun: God the Father is like the sun itself, Jesus is like the light that illuminates the sun and creation, and the Holy Spirit is like the heat from the sun which warms and affects creation. However, this analogy could be interpreted to be heretical (Arianism), as it could be said that the light and heat are bi-products or creations from the sun. In the end, all analogies, metaphors, and illustrations break down. There is no 1:1 comparison with a triune God. All analogies fall short because the Trinity is a divine mystery.

In summary, the question "Why did God send Jesus to die for our sins which only continue to multiply when he could have removed sin once and for all?" is ultimately a question about love. God gave us free will out of love, knowing it would make sin possible but also make true love achievable. In His infinite mercy and justice, God did not abandon us to the consequences of sin but entered into our brokenness through Jesus Christ. The Cross is the ultimate expression of divine love—a love so profound that Jesus bore the penalty of sin to restore our relationship with Him. Though sin still exists, God offers us the grace to overcome it, inviting each of us into a loving, eternal communion with Him. He desperately wants this love to be reciprocated, and I invite all readers to reflect on God's infinite love. Even if you were the only person to have ever sinned, He would still sacrifice Himself in order to free you from the penalty of sin.

This marks this end of the first Sunday School. Thanks to all readers for bearing with me until the end. I would appreciate feedback in the comments to understand what I could imrpove on next week. If there are any questions regarding the explenations, feel free to address me in the comments.

A few weeks ago, I came across a post created by Mall titled “Sunday School.” This post inspired me to consider creating a more literal online version of a traditional Sunday School. The concept is quite straightforward. Every Sunday, I intend to publish a new post that delves into a Catholic belief or a topic that troubles many, such as reconciling the concept of Hell with the notion of an all-good God. The purpose would not be to debate on the forum but only to explain Catholic beliefs. Before implementing this idea, I would like to gauge the community’s opinion on its potential. Would you guys appreciate this?

If Christianity was true, would you become a Christian?

This is just a fun topic to consider. Hopefully it promotes open conversation for athiests and theists alike. What role should the Catholic Church play in modern secular societies?

Out of curiosity, what reasons are stopping you from adopting religion? Specifically, what is it about Christianity that deters you away?

I have a few topic ideas I'd like to explore in a new debate and would love to hear your thoughts, as you'll likely be the ones reading it. I wouldn't want people to read a boring debate, so feel free to share your thoughts. Please feel free to comment below if you'd like to participate in any of these topics or if you have any suggestions for new ones.

I'll list the topics in order from "most common/least interesting" to "least common/most interesting," based on how familiar I think people might be with them. By "most common," I mean topics that are often debated and may feel overdone, like an overplayed song. I'd prefer to avoid familiar topics if everyone already knows them well.

There is a few debate topics I might be interested in participating in. The list is as follows:

I'm curious to know what the people on this website want to see for a debate. Drop down some suggestions that I can consider.

I have not come up with the following problem myself, it is a mere copy-paste. The problem is though-provoking and I am curious to know your opinions.

Good luck.

What are you living for and what is the evidence that what you're living for is true?