The Vicar of Dibley is a classic TV comedy starring Dawn French and many people fondly recall the episode where she decided to hold a service for the blessing of animals. There are many churches in all traditions – Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant – that have services for blessing pets and other creatures. The Vicar of Dibley episode is a case of art imitating life because there is a long church heritage in the liturgies concerning blessing ceremonies of God’s creatures.
Since the late 1970s, many churches choose to celebrate St. Francis of Assisi day (October 4 or the Sunday closest to it) as the day for holding services for the blessing of pets and other creatures. Since 1931 the secular calendar has designated October 4 as World Animal Day. Some Christians rejoice when the Sunday services for pet blessings are held while others have reservations or deep suspicions that this is a frivolous activity.
We may be losing touch with what the Bible discloses about the triangular relationships between God, humans and non-human creatures. We may be losing touch with church hymns, prayers and art that bear witness to the biblical teachings about animals being included in God’s purposes and God’s blessings on the whole creation. We may also be forgetting that England’s RSPCA was the brain-child of an evangelical Anglican minister, Rev. Arthur Broome. Broome invited social reformers, including anti-slave campaigners such as William Wilberforce and Thomas Fowell Buxton, to become co-founding members.
As the blessing of animals season approaches, it is timely for individual Christians and local church groups to take time to consider what they may plan for October 4.
A helpful way to start thinking about the biblical, theological and ethical issues involving our relationship with other creatures, and the background to pet blessing services, is to explore chapter 9 of Taboo Or To Do “Christian Blessings for Pets”. We invite you to check out our chapter.
TABOO OR TO DO? 