323. Animal activities—eating and copulating—in Heaven?
323. ANIMAL ACTIVITIES—EATING AND COPULATING—IN HEAVEN?
In Heaven we will have bodies, and therefore, it seems to follow that we will be able to perform the activities common to humans and animals, such as eating and copulating. Will we do these things? If not, why not?
Whether all will rise again to animal life so as to exercise the functions of nutrition and generation?
Objection 1. Our resurrection will be conformed to Christ’s. But Christ is said to have eaten after His resurrection (Jn 21, Lk 24). Therefore after the resurrection men will eat. . . .
Reply to Objection 1. When Christ partook of that meal, His eating was an act not of necessity, as though human nature needed food after the resurrection, but of power, so as to prove that He had resumed the true human nature which He had in that state wherein He ate and drank with His disciples. There will be no need of such proof at the general resurrection, since it will be evident to all. . . .
Yes, in our resurrection bodies we will be able to eat, as Christ did, but there will be no need to eat, as there was need for Him to show His disciples that He was not a ghost. With our present bodies we are able to howl like wolves, but there is no need to do so, unless we needed to prove to wolves that we were not ghosts. Will we howl like wolves in Heaven? Probably not, because there will be no good reason to, but we will be able to, and if there were good reason to do so, we would.
Objection 2. Further, the distinction between the sexes is directed to generation, and in like manner the instruments which serve the nutritive power are directed to eating. Now man will rise again with all these. Therefore he will exercise the acts of the generative and nutritive powers.
Reply to Objection 2. The distinction of sexes and the difference of members will be for the restoration of the perfection of human nature both in the species and in the individual. Hence it does not follow that they are without purpose, although they lack their animal operations.
It is true that generation (reproduction) is one of the essential God—designed purposes of the distinction between the sexes in this world; but the distinction between the sexes also has other purposes than generation, even now. These other purposes, which are spiritual rather than biological, and which are proper to humans rather than common to humans and animals (such as love, appreciation, respect, and understanding of the opposite sex) will be preserved and perfected in Heaven. In preparation for Heaven we should seek out and fulfill these other purposes, as well as the biological purpose, even now.
On the contrary, It is written (Mt 22:30): In the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married.
Notice that this presupposes that reproduction is an essential purpose of marriage. If there is to be reproduction, there should be marriage; if there is to be marriage, there should be (at least openness to) reproduction. If there is no reproduction (in Heaven), there is no marriage there, and if there is no marriage there, there is no reproduction there.
Further, generation is directed to supply the defect resulting from death, and to the multiplication of the human race; and eating is directed to make up for waste, and to increase quantity. But in the state of the resurrection the human race will already have the number of individuals preordained by God, since generation will continue up to that point. In like manner each man will rise again in due quantity. Neither will death be any more, nor any waste affect the parts of man. Therefore the acts of the generative and nutritive powers would be void of purpose. . . (S81,4).
Sex (i.e., sexual activity, not just gender) is Nature’s way of outwitting death. Or, to put the same point backwards, death is the price we pay for sex. If no death, no sex.