Truth Tribe with Douglas Groothuis26 Feb 2024

3 Ways to Show Pastoral Care for God's Creatures Great and Small

Those of you who've read my book, Walking Through Twilight, know that my dog Sonny is mentioned numerous times. He was a gift from God for my first wife Becky and myself, as we suffered together through her dementia and through her death in 2018.

An old stanza from an old poem by Francis Alexander sets the tone for today's episode of Truth Tribe:

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Animals and humans were created by God to live together in harmony. Of course, the fall and the flood changed all that. But all the living kinds that God created remain good, as Genesis 1 teaches. Paul the Apostle, of course, agrees. "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." 1 Timothy 4: 4-5

The Bible teaches us that humans alone bear the image of God, Genesis 1:26 and that this image remains after the fall. We see that in Genesis 9. Since man, since human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, that image cannot be denied. It cannot be eradicated. This heartbreak between humans and the rest of God's creation does not imply that men and women can treat animals any way they wish. Animals are not mere fodder for human whims.

Today, without developing a whole theology of the animal world, I offer a few principles for how Christians can show pastoral concern to animals, whether or not they interact with them regularly and directly.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(135)

When Failure Is God's Plan: My Academic Disaster Turned Good

Today, Dr. Groothuis shares his biggest academic failure—the rejection of his first dissertation proposal—and how God redeemed it for good. Inspired by William Lane Craig’s story of academic struggle,...

4 Aug 202512min

Can Darwinism Support Morality?

In this powerful and intellectually provocative episode, Dr. Douglas Groothuis reads his essay from the Summer 2025 issue of Salvo Magazine, titled “Escape from the Acid Bath: Can Darwinism Support Mo...

28 Jul 202516min

12 Essential Questions Every Public Apologist Should Be Able to Answer

In this episode, Dr. Douglas Groothuis offers a passionate critique of the current state of online apologetics, prompted by the growing flood of YouTube, Instagram, and podcast-based apologetics influ...

21 Jul 202524min

Autobiography as Apologetic: My Journey to Faith and Christian Philosophy

In this extended and moving episode of Truth Tribe, Dr. Douglas Groothuis reads his essay Autobiography as Apologetic, originally published in the Christian Research Journal. This personal narrative r...

14 Jul 202537min

Why Gambling Is Not Just a Game

In this episode, Dr. Douglas Groothuis shares a timely Christian reflection on gambling, prompted by a recent commentary from Al Mohler and cultural attention around the Kentucky Derby. Drawing from a...

7 Jul 20258min

Without the Resurrection, There Would be No University

In this Good Friday edition of Truth Tribe, Dr. Douglas Groothuis reads his recently published essay, Without the Resurrection, There Would Be No University. Originally featured by the National Associ...

30 Jun 20258min

"Field of Dreams" and the False Gospel of Inner Divinity: A Christian Movie Review

In this follow-up to his Hitchcock review, Dr. Douglas Groothuis offers a sharp and thoughtful worldview critique of the beloved 1989 film Field of Dreams, starring Kevin Costner. While the film prese...

23 Jun 20257min

How to Tell the Difference between the Spirit of Truth and a Spirit of Error (1 John 4)

In this special episode of Truth Tribe, Dr. Douglas Groothuis reads an original essay composed as a tool for Christian students and truth seekers alike: a topical compilation of biblical passages titl...

16 Jun 202511min