Burial or Cremation?

What to do with the body of the deceased can be a difficult decision for those left behind. Christian viewpoints on how to handle this situation vary widely. Some feel that cremation is a desecration of the body which God has made. Others take the position that the spirit lives on no matter what is done to the body, and burial results in slow decomposition which is also a disintegration of the body God created. The Bible does not precisely address cremation.

Cremation as a widespread method of handling the dead did not become an issue until 1870. It was at that time that a modern method was developed for cremation. The Catholic Church subsequently banned cremation, and did not change its view on the issue until 1963. The disposition of Catholics’ ashes is still restrictive today. Ashes are not to be kept at home and should be encased in an appropriate container and then buried.

Protestant churches are more liberal in their views on cremation. The Mormon faith does not encourage cremation. However, it does have specific instructions for the treatment of the body if cremation is chosen as the method of disposal. The Eastern Orthodox faith forbids cremation entirely.

Cremation is still somewhat controversial when compared to burial. The decision as to what method one uses could well be more based on economics than religion, as cremation is less costly than burial expenses. In summary, those who believe in the resurrection of the dead would all agree that the treatment of the dead, regardless of the method used to dispose of the body, must be respectful.