Although Christendom is inundated with hymnbooks they all - without
exception - share one glaring omission: no place for God’s animal
kingdom. Admittedly there are two hymns which bring in the whole of the
Creation: ‘All things bright and beautiful’ and ‘All Creatures of our
God and King’. In both these delightful hymns animals are mentioned
along with inanimate forces; hardly a compliment to animals endowed by
their Creator with the breath of life!
Well, the purpose of this compilation is to fill this inexcusable
omission of Christendom. The God of Biblical Revelation has the whole
world in his hands. Within his Ark of Salvation all forms of life are
precious. His salvation covers both man and beast. We are no more an
elect species than Judaism was an elect race.
In the original Paradise the birds and beasts dwelt alongside the
original human couple in peace and tranquillity. And whereas the whole
of Creation has been blighted and seriously affected by the ‘fa11 from
grace’ of Adam, it was the concept of the later prophets - through the
coming of that greater Adam: the Messiah (the Christ) that a far greater
Paradise would one day be restored than the one that was lost.
This greater Paradise in which the meek will inherit the Earth is
surely what congregations should be envisaging when they pray: “Thy
Kingdom come”! One can only affirm that whereas churches piously pray
for its coming the Animal Activist Movement, conscious of the fact or
otherwise, practica1ly paves the way for its inauguration.
If hymns had been sung, prayers offered and sermons preached on the
need of Christians to protect weaker forms of life committed to their
charge, then this World would be a living Utopia today. Instead, after
two thousand years of Church teaching, it remains a blood bath.
The contributors to this compilation come from a true cross section
of Christian expression and culture. These hymns are by sincere, humble,
animal caring Christians. But I ask: how could a true Christian be
otherwise?
It is our hope that one day Christendom will lose its shrivelled
concept of divine love being confined to humans and will recapture a
little of the spirit of' a. St Francis of Assisi, an Isaiah or a John
the divine.
The copyright which covers all these hymns is solely so that the
composer’s name always goes with what she or he has written, and that
.the words remain as written, when photo-copied or otherwise used and
taken from this book. It is hoped that they will be given exceedingly
wide usage and possibly even trickle into major denominational hymnals.
The age of miracles has by no means past! But what is more, these hymns
are of high literary standard as well.
No royalties are forthcoming to any of these gifted writers. Each
contribution included is the fruit of deep, selfless love and. concern
as befits those who worship a God who was born amongst the animals; the
announcement of whose birth was singled out to animal carers; and who
himself fulfilled the role of an. Animal, the lamb of God, to portray
His mission. He is equally referred to as the Good Shepherd: One who not
only saved and secured sheep from danger but carried lambs next to His
heart as He gently led the ewes that were with young.
It: is not without significance that same of His twenty first century
followers (well almost 21st!) should be laying their lives down before
lorries of both sheep and calves, so as to block the diabolic export of
these docile innocent creatures from a horrendous fate abroad.
To the whole of the Animal Activist and Welfare Movements we dedicate
this selection of hymns. God Bless each one of you and keep up the good
work. God and goodness are on your side.
© James Thompson
The Animal’s Padre
(Spring, 1997.)
Animal Padre's
