CULTURE TUESDAY - Fr Terry Martin - 'Animals in Heaven?'

Father Terry Martin, parish priest at St Mary of the Angels RC church in Worthing, will be holding a book launch next month, to mark the publication of his new book 'Animals in Heaven?' The launch and signing ceremony will take place at the church on Saturday 16th November at 10.45am, and will include a short musical recital, and a brief introduction to the book, followed by vegan refreshments, children's activities, and a fundraising raffle for Greek Animal Rescue: the rescue charity from which Fr Terry gave a home to his delightful, rescued spaniel, George. The new book provides a Catholic pastoral response to questions about animals and examines the way in which humans consider and treat other species of God's creation, while also asking how God intends humans to share planet earth with such a rich array and variety of animals. It has been a year in the research and writing and is now hot off the press for readers to consider their own personal Christian moral positions concerning non-human species. The event is free to attend, and all are welcome. Speaking about the impending launch Fr Terry commented: "This book has been a labour of love; I have done it for the animals. If I can contribute, even in a small way, to the conversation around how human beings consider animals, and encourage a gospel of kindness and compassion to all living beings, I will be thrilled." Christian academic theologian and animal welfare advocate Professor Andrew Linzey of Oxford University, who has written the foreword commented: "Fr Terry is doing a new thing. The special value of this book is the way in which it frankly addresses and explores the basic questions that many animal-regarding Christians ask about animals: Will they meet their companion animals again in heaven? Do animals have souls? Do animals have rights? What precisely does the Church teach?"