Do Animals Have Religion?

"If animals can communicate, not only with one another but with us, haven’t they transcended their own condition? And, as we know, transcendence is key to religious experience..." (RD, 7.22.09)

S. Brent Plate writes on a fascinating subject for Religion Dispatches: animals and the possibility that they might practice religion.

After reflecting on a New York Times Magazine article, Plate asks a provoking question that we ought to seriously entertain: "If animals like non-human primates ... and cetaceans have shown themselves to have highly developed communication skills (possibly higher than homo sapiens), self-awareness, tool use, a refined memory apparatus, and even dreams, can they also have religion?" Religion, as with culture and language, is predicated on such abilities.

I appreciate that Plate expresses the necessity to define or re-define terms like "religion," "transcendence," and perhaps even "self," particularly when it comes to thinking about animals and the prospect of them practicing what we call religion. All of these terms are difficult enough to define when we're dealing with the plurality, diversity, and ambiguity of humanity; even more so when we tread into the realm of non-human animals. It's a truly treacherous arena of linguistic employment.

Nonetheless, as an animal lover, the matter is intriguing to me. Does my Jack Russel Terrier (Bandit) have self-transcending thoughts or experiences? Does he have his own kind of religious praxis? I could probably spend hours upon hours or days entertaining such ideas and they certainly should be pursued critically and analytically by someone. But, alas, for me, I must focus on that whole PhD dissertation thing.

Read Plate's thought-provoking essay at Religion Dispatches.