[Vision2020] Animal Souls in the Bible

[nickgier at adelphia.net]

Hail to the Vision!

Thanks to Ralph Nielsen for the Bible lesson.  He is soooo good at it.

As I have argued in my article "Hebrew and Buddhist Selves," the Hebrews had one of the most materialistic view of the soul in the ancient world. 

The Bible also teaches that animals have souls (Heb.nephesh; Gk. psyche). Ralph is also right: the Hebrew Bible teaches that those souls all go to the same place after death: Sheol, the Hebrew equivalent of Hades.

For more details and biblical references, you can read an assignment that I gave my philosophy of religion class at www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/305/soul.htm.

Yours for better theology,

Nick Gier