Pope Francis has caused an uproar of sorts by suggesting that all animals can go to heaven during a weekly general audience at the Vatican last month.

According to the Huffington Post, he stated, "The Holy Scriptures teach us that the creation of this marvelous design concerns all that is around us, and all that came out of the thoughts and heart of God...Paradise is open to all creatures, and there we will be vested with the joy and love of God, without limits. And it's so beautiful to think of being face to face with He who gives strength to the soul."

Many animal rights activists responded well to Pope Francis' words, including the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The New York Times reports that Francis' words were particularly touching to them, because they saw them as repudiating the conservative Roman Catholic theology that says animals cannot go to heaven because they have no souls.

However, theologians and other religious experts caution that Pope Francis spoke casually. Charles Camosy, an author and professor of Christian ethics at Fordham University, stated that Francis spoke "in pastoral language that is not really meant to be dissected by academics."

In addition, Father James Martin, SJ, a Jesuit priest, stated, "This is not an official pronouncement." However, he added, "By the same token, he was pretty clear about what he was talking about and we can't simply dismiss it. He wasn't putting forth any major church teaching. [But] overall I tend to agree with him. One way to look at it is that people have loving relationships with their pets and why would God destroy those loving relationships?

It falls under my general theological category of 'who knows?' We have no idea what the afterlife is going to be like. Other than what Christ reveals to us in the resurrection and what church tradition has taught us, we have no idea. No one other than Jesus has come back from the dead."