Dogs in Dutch Churches

This scene (painted by Dutch artist Emanuel de Witte in 1651) is titled “Interior of the Oude Kerk [old church] at Delft During a Sermon” (1651). de Witte is well known for his interior scenes of churches. This particular painting is now part of the Wallace collection in London.

de Witte depicts a Reformed minister preaching from the raised pulpit in the center of the church. If you look carefully, several of those listening to the sermon have brought their dogs.  According to one source, this was a common practice.  Churches could be uncomfortably cold and dogs provided warmth. But should your dog bark, become disruptive, or attempt to do their business, church wardens would instruct the dog's owner to take them outside, or else make the owner clean up if the dog made a mess.

Clearly, the Reformed fully understood the faithfulness of dogs in comparison to cats.  You won't find a feline pictured anywhere in the Oude Kerk at Delft—even though Felis silvestris catus does provide wonderful sermon illustrations of fallen nature. It is worth mentioning that no one has a “service cat.” But you can bet that if a feline entered the church hunting for vermin, they were welcomed (as with the cat who lives in my backyard).

If people can manage to take their dogs on airplanes and overnight them in hotels, how long before they bring them to church? The “Blessing of the Animals” is a thing in Roman and some Anglican churches. No telling what megachurches could do to top that.

See my previous post on this (Dogs in Church?)