When a loved one dies, or when we think about our own death, a question often comes up among Christians: should we be buried or cremated? Many think that the Bible forbids cremation. This lesson examines the biblical arguments, but also the psychological and practical aspects. It speaks respectfully to those who have already had to make this choice for someone they loved.
Cremation refers to the destruction of a dead person’s body by fire.
The positions of religions and Churches
In Hinduism, cremation is an essential rite: it is believed to free the soul from its shell so that it can be reborn in another form. Jainism and Sikhism also practise it.
On the Catholic side, a decree of 1886 denied religious funerals to those who chose cremation. Since an instruction of 5 July 1963, it is no longer forbidden, provided it is not chosen for reasons contrary to the Christian faith, in particular faith in the resurrection. The Catholic Church nevertheless continues to favour burial. Some traditionalist Catholic circles still firmly reject it.
Among Protestants, the major Lutheran and Reformed Churches have long allowed this freedom, but sensitivities vary from one Church to another.
“Passing through the fire”
The Old Testament several times uses the expression “to pass through the fire”, always negatively: “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practises divination” (Deuteronomy 18:10). It is found again concerning unfaithful kings (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6), the kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 17:17) and in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 16:21; 20:26, 31).
On a first reading, one might conclude that God does not tolerate cremation. But we must look closely. These texts speak of sacrifices of children, sometimes alive, offered to idols, and they are associated with magic and divination. What God condemns is the use of fire for idolatrous and occult purposes. These passages do not speak of the cremation of a person who has died.
The practices of Israel
Cremation existed in biblical times, but it was not customary among the Israelites or the first Christians. The dead were buried in a tomb, a cave or directly in the ground. King Asa, for example, is buried in the tomb he had cut for himself, and a great fire with spices is made in his honour, without his body being burned (2 Chronicles 16:14). Jesus himself is laid by Joseph of Arimathea in a new tomb cut in the rock (Matthew 27:57-60).
Yet the Bible never presents burial as the only permitted way of treating a dead person’s body. According to this course, this practice served rather to distinguish Israel from the neighbouring peoples than to meet a religious requirement.
And the resurrection?
The Bible announces that those who have put their faith in God will be raised (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Some wonder whether cremation might make it a problem for God to raise us.
In reality, all bodies decompose, more or less quickly depending on the conditions. All return to dust, as God says to Adam: “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Nothing in the Bible indicates that Christians who died in the flames or were devoured by wild beasts because of their faith will not be able to rise again. God formed us from dust. He can raise us from dust, even if the elements of our body have been scattered.
The advantages of cremation
- Necessity. In an epidemic, cremation may be required for health reasons. In some countries where space is short, such as Japan, it is almost universal.
- Grief. For some families, it marks the end of earthly life more clearly and can help them move on.
- Avoiding excessive veneration. The pain of grief sometimes leads to excessive veneration of the deceased at their grave. Cremation can prevent this drift.
- Cost. It is generally cheaper than burial.
- How long graves last. In France, a free grave is only guaranteed for a limited time, at least five years, unless a burial plot is purchased. After that, the remains may be transferred to an ossuary, or even cremated.
The disadvantages
For others, cremation may seem too quick or too brutal. Imagining the body of a parent or a friend given over to the fire can be very hard. Some also need a place where they can reflect and remember. Today, many cemeteries offer areas for ashes, and in France, municipalities above a certain size have been required to have them since a 2008 law.
Conclusion
If cremation is practised within a religious framework foreign to the Christian faith, as in Hinduism, the Bible condemns it. But when it is chosen for practical reasons, nothing in the Bible seems to forbid it. The position of this course is therefore that the person or their family are free to decide.
One practical recommendation is essential: from a certain age, everyone should speak clearly and honestly to their family about their wishes. After a death, families sometimes tear themselves apart over these questions. Expressing one’s wishes in advance is an act of love towards those who remain. And whatever choice is made, the Christian hope remains the same: the resurrection.
Key points
- The texts about “passing through the fire” condemn child sacrifices and idolatrous practices, not the cremation of the dead.
- Burial was the usual practice in Israel and in the early Church, without being presented as the only permitted one.
- Cremation does not prevent resurrection, because God who formed us from dust can raise us from dust.
- Churches hold different positions, the Catholic Church has allowed it since 1963 while preferring burial.
- Cremation has advantages and disadvantages, practical, financial and psychological.
- Everyone should clearly express their wishes to their family to avoid painful rifts.
To think about
- Have you ever talked with your loved ones about your wishes for your funeral? What is holding you back?
- How does the hope of the resurrection change the way we experience grief?
- How can we support a grieving family whose choices are different from yours?
Further reading
- 1 Corinthians 15.
- 1 Thessalonians 4.
- Genesis 3.