Women and Men in Heaven
Question from on 06-27-2007:
Hello,
I think that St. Therese has said that many more women love God than do men. I have heard of other saints saying much the same. Does this mean that more women than men will be in Heaven?
Thank you for your time.
Answer by David Gregson on 08-02-2007:
I don't know if St. Therese said that. In any case, she wasn't infallible. But even if it is the case that, in Therese's time, and perhaps today, more women than men have loved God, that doesn't mean it was always the case. The population of heaven will be made up of women and men of all times. Of course, since men and women won't marry in heaven, it won't matter in that regard if one sex outnumbers the other.
However, there is another consideration. Fathers and Doctors of the Church (e.g., St. Anselm) have taught that the number of the elect is perfect. That is, it won't be just any number who are saved, but the perfect number, whatever that is. So there are grounds for supposing that the number of women and men will also be perfect, which, at least on the face of it, suggests an equality in their numbers.
Question from on 06-27-2007:
Hello,
I think that St. Therese has said that many more women love God than do men. I have heard of other saints saying much the same. Does this mean that more women than men will be in Heaven?
Thank you for your time.
Answer by David Gregson on 08-02-2007:
I don't know if St. Therese said that. In any case, she wasn't infallible. But even if it is the case that, in Therese's time, and perhaps today, more women than men have loved God, that doesn't mean it was always the case. The population of heaven will be made up of women and men of all times. Of course, since men and women won't marry in heaven, it won't matter in that regard if one sex outnumbers the other.
However, there is another consideration. Fathers and Doctors of the Church (e.g., St. Anselm) have taught that the number of the elect is perfect. That is, it won't be just any number who are saved, but the perfect number, whatever that is. So there are grounds for supposing that the number of women and men will also be perfect, which, at least on the face of it, suggests an equality in their numbers.
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