A Christian Perspective On Cremation
Cremation is a topic that you don’t typically hear a lot about in Christian circles, but one the should be given a great deal of thought. As I have read about this topic over the past several days I have become even more convinced that cremation is an issue that demands a Christian perspective and response. I have read many articles and listened to many teachings on this issue. The most notable and helpful was a sermon by Alistair Begg entitled Death and Dying. Much of the information that you will read below is from Begg’s sermon on this issue as well as other articles.
I want to first offer what I believe to be the philosophy that should guide us as we think about this topic. How the Christian deals with the death, dying, and the body after death says a lot about our belief in the sanctity of life. Here are some thoughts that flow from this philosophy.
The manner of the disposal of a body is in and of itself of no real significance. Whether a body was lost at sea, burned in a house fire, or cremated, God will restore that body. Cremation does not alter God’s ability to restore and prefect the human body. The question that we have to answer is, should we put God in a position to have to do so? Is it in agreement with Scripture?
There are two main passages in the Bible that are used to attempt to show that cremation was used in the Bible and thus is acceptable today. The first deals with the death of Achan in Joshua 7:24-26. The second deals with the death of Saul in I Samuel 31. However, if you examine the passages you will see that there was nothing reverent or desirable or honorable about what was taking place. In Joshua the burning of the body was punishment. It spoke of judgement and was not attempting to show an alternate way of disposing of a dead body.
Historically, cremation was unknown in early America. The practice came primarily from people who wanted to shake their fist in the face of the biblical doctrine of the bodily resurrection of saints. It was an expression of their philosophical view of death and dying. To the left is a picture of a public Hindu cremation. According to the Cremation Association of North America, “Devout Hindus regard cremation as an essential rite that frees the soul from the body, enabling its journey to the next level.” Their view of death and how to dispose of a dead body flows from their philosophy of life and religious beliefs.
The question that we must answer is centered on God. Begg suggests that we ask: “How can we bring everything that we know about the doctrine of man in creation and preservation and the details of God’s creative order in line with this issue?” Begg suggests that burial fits the biblical picture that Jesus uses of sleep, it shows respect for the physical frame, and is in agreement with the Old Testament examples. Abraham wanted a suitable place to bury Sarah, Rebekah was buried in Bethlehem, Joseph was concerned with how his body would be handled after death. They each showed care for how the body was disposed of after death.
Another point that must be made is that Christianity believes that body is redeemed as well as the soul. We are instructed in the Bible to honor God with our body. This instruction should apply to the body in life and in death. Even after death, the body is still God’s creation and God’s handiwork. It still should be honored. In addition, in Scripture fire is a type or a symbol of destruction or of judgement. Over and over you see fire directly connected to judgement.
In one of the articles I read a picture was painted of the cremation process at one crematory. The author described standing at the pulpit in front of the family as he read the final committal. On the side of the pulpit was a little red button that he was to push a few seconds before finishing his reading. As soon as he pushed this button the coffin moved to his left through a velvet curtain. He went on to say that if he didn’t finish fast enough and the organ begin playing that everyone in the room could hear that furnace kick in. Every time that happened it was uncomfortable. The author also described the need to not let that family look back upon leaving the crematory. If they did they would see the smoke that was the result of their loved ones body burning in a 1700 degree furnace.
To sum everything up, how we deal with the body after death is a direct result of our philosophy of life. As Begg put it “Cremation is at best sub-Christian, not necessary unchristian.” But when all the views are examined we can conclude that burial is the more fitting end to the Christian life.
Body burial is laced in the the custom according to Jewish laws. Christ was buried according to those laws. Hindu tradition were thriving at in same time period of Jewish tradition. Hinduism at the time of Christ had only been around for about 1000 years. It was not until the 1st century that Buddhaist and Hindus were putting their traditions down in written form.
Fire or burning something is not always brought to the feet of judgement. Fire in the bible is a refiner, brings offering, without fire you can not bring good aroma to God. Fire also respresented continous tournment (judgement).
So we need to be careful in what Jewish buffett we are picking and choosing our traditions, customs, and laws. Christ fullfilled all laws, all customs, and all traditions, which created a new covenant. Christ also says that we will be NEW at resurection. The body we have now is tied to sin, unrighteousness, Immoral acts, and death. Despite what the body is or is not, IT will be NEW, clean, moral, and righteous in heaven. The biggest point is that what happens with our body before and after death needs to be done in such a way that it glorifies Christ.
Many questions sprout from this this post. Can I donate organs before or after death? When is true death? Should they’re be set guidelines for how the body is treat after death? What customs should we follow? and so on… I think Begg’s has no real firm ground in the NT (or OT for that matter) to stand on. This is a grey area at best and should be handled with respect, concern, and Christ in our intentions.
How come hardly anyone ever comments on your stuff? You bring some good thoughts to the table.
(spelling and grammar may be off I had to harry)
Aaron,
Thanks for your comments. You make many good points…all that deserve thought and discussion. My post is in no way intended to be a complete and final answer to this issue, just a place to start the discussion. Like you, I think it is difficult to be dogmatic and take a stance of total correctness on this issue. But I do think that the issue deserves thought. Thanks again.
It is an interesting thought, and worth discussing, but I’d have to disagree with Mr. Begg that this is really a sub-Christian/unChristian practice. As Aaron mentioned above, it is largely based on cultural norms.
Perhaps a better discussion would be “What burial methods *best* picture the death and hope of future resurrection?” But again, even that discussion is only at best tied to symbolism, not doctrine, and shouldn’t be confused with questions like “How *should* a Christian dispose of the body of their loved ones?”
If we are going to practice the ancient Jewish burial customs, we should practice all of them. Which was not normally putting our loved ones in the ground, but in a cave or crypt of some sort and allowing the flesh to rot away. Then exhuming the body years later, collecting the bones and putting them in a box or pot and burying that.
If we’re concerned about preservation and respect of the body as God’s creation, then the Egyptians did a far better job than burial. They have ancient mummies, thousands of years old, with flesh, hair, etc. still intact. Through burial, flesh, bone and all eventually rots into the earth with no trace left. Insects, worms, animals, and plants all feed off of the remains.
Personally I don’t want to be cremated, or have my wife cremated, but that has more to do with my cultural upbringing and tastes than any Biblical argument.
And what of those who have already cremated their loved ones? Are they to doubt and worry that they have somehow improperly treated their loved one’s bodies? Are they to fear that they showed some disrespect or act of judgment through cremation?
What about in countries like China where you are required by law to cremate? What about in Mexico where the poor have a communal graveyard where they routinely dig up the bodies of the dead and dump them to place new bodies in the ground? There are as many death rites and burial customs as there are cultures, if not more.
I say, if there isn’t a clear Biblical teaching on it – don’t try to make one.
John,
Again, this wasn’t inteded to answer each and every question on the issue of cremation. It was inteded just to open the conversation. However, I would suggest that just because there is not a clear biblical teaching on this issue that does not mean that there are not guiding principles that can be followed.
I agree that there is not a cut and dry passage that you can go to on this issue. I also am not saying that those who have had loved ones cremated have sinned or done something wrong. I am just sharing my oppinion on the issue…not attempting to build a open and shut biblical case on the issue. The biblical support that I shared is not proof that my view is correct, just that thats how I came to my viewpoint that burial is to be prefered over cremation for the Christian. Thanks for your comment.
John – I though the same thing. I would be interest to see if there was an example per Exodus that showed how bodies were disposed of. Without a clear example one would have to reason with an open hand that Jewish culture and customs were influenced by the Egyptians. This would lend no biblical evidence to burial practice. Then that would leave the door open to cremation. Cremation could have serious biblical foundations that the body is being offered up to God, as a sacrifice would have been; a final completion of service and purpose to God. In that thinking you can argue that burial is a practice of selfishness. Securing or preserving your body, for when you are called to take your place in Heaven. This is not allowing our bodies to start and return to the dust.
However, I understand some Christian may argue that they are following in the practice of Christ to be like Christ in life, death, burial, and resurrection. Unfortunately no one can accomplish that task at any point. We cannot live a righteous life; our death saves no one, our burial begins and ends in decay, and our resurrection is not under our own power but being called up by Christ. Only by Christ and His Grace will we follow and accompany Him in righteousness.
I find far more interesting to observe Christians scurry about concerning themselves with the end times, Death, Resurrection, and Heaven. Then devote themselves to example, teaching, and the work of Christ. Most Christian desires a relationship with the church than with Christ; they would rather write a check than open there homes, they would rather read John Grisham than Jesus Christ. Trust when I say this, it angers me to no end when I see those things within myself, which I find too often. I sit on the couch when I could be studying, I read other things when I could study, and I watch TV when I could be studying. I worry about little things when I could be studying. I write check to Comcast when I could write checks to the ministry. I feed myself when I could feed other. I day dream when I could be praying. I fail when I could succeed; I am a Christian when I could be a Disciple. Luckily I have Christ lifting me up and encouraging me. (Sorry I think I wrote that for me and my betterment rather than you all.)
My line of thinking exactly, Aaron. And even while we typically refer to Christ being “buried,” he wasn’t buried in the sense that we practice today. He was wrapped in cloth, anointed with spices and oils, and placed in a cave or tomb with a stone rolled over it.
Hundreds of sites excavated from the time period of Christ have also shown that families would often place their loved ones in a family tomb like this and later collect their bones after the flesh had rotted away and place them in a bone box somewhere (remember the bone box of “James the brother of Jesus” that was in the news a few months ago?). Again, that is nothing like what we practice today… actually, people would probably think you were pretty weird if you went and dug out your dead uncle and put his bones in a box.
LOL, for some reason my last comment has mysteriously vanished.
Heaven forbid that “Church-goers” think out of the box or question the practices of their faith. I have a small hobby of researching B.C. and 1st Century (A.D.) History. Also, I like researching world religions, inorder, to compare them to Christianity. It is very interesting to see the influences, similarities, and differences. The philosophy and theology of Christianity cannot be learned in church effectively. I would go as far to say that they cannot be learned in seminary or advanced education either. It is a life journey which may never be exhausted. However, with a smidge of intelligence and inquisition, using the Bible, you can go long way to find “the faith” and separate it from religion.