Late learner
Although I grew up in Christian family, I was well into my twenties before I learned that, within Christendom, some regarded cremation as an unacceptable method of final disposition for the deceased. They can embalm (or not) bury or entomb but not cremate.
The first to share it with me was a Catholic colleague who’d become a close friend. Her mother, a Catholic, had been cremated and was not allowed to be buried in a Catholic cemetery. My friend wasn’t upset over it, but it caused her sister a great deal of angst.
Religious studies
I learned more about the aspects of Catholic final disposition beliefs and practices, along with a myriad of other religions practiced within the area I lived and worked. They were a required aspect of my studies in mortuary arts and sciences, my major areas of study at Dallas Institure of Funeral Services, back in the mid-1980s. For all that, I didn’t learn of cremation being considered a big no-no among my own ranks within the Pentecostal churches. I learned of it when a pastor’s wife left a negative comment about it in response to a blog post I’d written. Wish I’d saved it so I could include it here for you, but it happened over 15 years ago and on a platform I’ve not used in ages.
Catholics and cremation
So, from Robin, I learned that the Catholic doctrine prohibited cremation and (at that time) prohibited burial of cremated remains from being buried in designated Catholic cemetery property. To qualify as Catholic burial grounds, the property must be blessed by a Priest to consider it to be holy. However, it’s preferred for at least the burial plot to be blessed by a priest before a Catholic decedent is interred in it.
I can’t remember if (at the time) a Catholic decedent must be buried in holy ground to enter Heaven, but currently that’s not the case. Burial in holy ground is preferred but not a strict requirement within Catholic doctrine.
Protestants and Cremation
Just in case you’re not aware, Catholics and Protestants are both types of Christian doctrines. Protestants are Christians who aren’t Catholic.
Within the Catholic church en masse, there are variations of the practices and the same for Protestants, their sect’s names being the description of their doctrine as they practice it. Below are a few examples of some of the more well-known differences.
- Some believe baptism must be done in moving water, such as a stream or river while others are okay with using a baptistry (a tank of whatever sort, big enough to submerge someone).
- Some believe conservative clothing is a must, others are good with dressing in colorful, even trendy clothing.
- Some gather in groups to pray individually, even out loud. Others bow their heads and are led in prayer by one speaker.
- Some believe there should be no musical instruments in the church. Others have complete orchestras playing throughout the service.
- Some anoint with oil and lay hands on folks to pray for them. Others don’t use oil and may not practice the laying on of hands.
- Some physically participate in communion–the consumption of wine or grape juice and unleavened bread, while others observe it in spirit only (no idea how they do it spiritually, so I can’t explain it for you).
There are more, but you get the idea.
As for cremation, a large number of the more well-known doctrines have no issue with cremation, including Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians.
So, I was surprised to learn that there are Christians, even within my own ranks of Pentecost, that are firm in their belief of cremation being a big no-no.
Reasoning
Because I find the subject interesting, I did a bit of research and it seems their belief is often based on the following...
1Corinthians 6:19-20 KJV
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
In Judeo-Christian doctrine, many (at least most Orthodox) Jews believe a person’s spirit lingers near the body for three days post-mortem. Yeshua’s lingering to resurrect Lazarus, four days post mortem, was an obvious challenge to that.
Time after death aside, both Christians and Jews believe the spirit does not dwell spend years residing within a dead body.
They also believe only God is omnipresent and capable of creation in the literal sense, meaning to make something of nothing. Nowadays, we hear that word being tossed around a lot, specifically in replacing the word make with the word create. That’s a new-age use of the word.
Divine Exclusivity
Bara is exclusively used with God as the subject in the Old Testament, indicating an act only a deity can perform. In the Old Testament, only God performs bara, distinguishing it from human making.
As for our bodies being His temple, it makes sense while we’re living in them. Afterward, not so much, since the point is to tabernacle with us. After death, no one's home and the breakdown eventually begins.
Genesis 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 3:19
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. KJV
Ecclesiastes 12:7
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. KJV
From the above, I conclude with my take on this topic is, the Lord dwells within the bodies of His people until His people no longer dwell in them.
My brother’s breakdown on cremation is the best I’ve heard yet.
“We were created from dust and we’re gonna return to dust. Cremation just speeds up the process.” Pastor Paul K. Cooper II, Missionary to Brazil.
The wrap!
So, why did I choose this topic for this edition? Because it’s been niggling in my mind, the people who’ve experienced angst over loved ones who were cremated, intentionally, or died in fires with little left to recover. Good examples are the many who were burned alive, some for sacrifice and others as punishment for serving God.
Thanks for visiting today. I hope you’ve, in the least, found the content interesting. Past that, I hope you’ve found it helpful as well, regardless of whether or not you’re in agreement. Please feel welcome to weigh in with your own take on cremation and Christianity in a comment below.
‘Til next time,
Shalom, shalom!
Angelia
