The first cremation in the United States took place in 1876, accompanied by readings from Charles Darwin and the Hindu scriptures, according to Timothy George, who heads Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. The Bible and Cremation . Christians today seem to be more open than ever to cremation. Therefore, it would not be a "sin" to cremate a loved one. Should Christians be cremated?" What does the Bible say about cremation? “WE ARE O.K.” “Don’t grieve for us. The cutting edge practice of cremation … Therefore, cremation is an acceptable means of dealing with the dead. The Bible, however, does give a few examples where bodies were burned after death. But Jesus said, "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do" (Luke 12:4). Cremation likely originated in pagan rituals, but we are told (though not directly from scripture, see Job 30:19, Ecclesiastes 3:20, Genesis 18:27, and Genesis 3:19), "ashes to ashes, dust to dust and … The early church rejected Gnosticism and its view of the body. Cremation does not conflict with the Bible nor does it interfere with God’s ability to resurrect the dead. Although cremation accounts can be found in the Bible, the practice was not common or accepted at all among ancient Hebrews. There are currently about 1,100 crematories and about a million cremations per year in North America. Secondly, burial is included in the Scriptural definition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ , as written in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Cremation does in a few minutes what burial in the ground would require years to do but the results are the same—the body is reduced to dust. Does the Bible have anything to say about cremation? The Scriptures teach that God made the body and it was good (Genesis 1:31). Since your last response on cremation was over a year ago, I do not know if I will receive an answer or others will read this, however I am going to write to you anyway. Tender loving care and respect were commanded in preparing the dead body for burial. The percentage of persons who are cremated at death is increasing. Others cite the fact that most nations of the world have always practiced cremation, therefore so should we. Question: "What does the Bible say about cremation? Question: "Is burial the only option a Christian can consider?" I. Bible verses about Cremation. Some have assumed that the doctrine of the resurrection of the body has served to restrict Christians from the practice of cremation. However, despite the fact that cremation reduces the body to … I do not feel that the catholic church has the right to tell me that I cannot do what I want with my ashes and that I cannot have a mass said should I decide not to inter my ashes to a cemetery. There are occurrences in the Old Testament of people being burned to death (1 Kings 16:18; 2 Kings 21:6) and of human bones being burned (2 Kings 23:16-20), but these are not examples of cremation. But these scriptures do not imply that cremation is not acceptable, it simply showcases that the Old Testament and even the New Testament did not have a tradition of burning their dead. He claims that the Bible condemns it. Mormon beliefs about the physical body are related to LDS beliefs about cremation. Before we draw a conclusion on this important subject, let us consider what the Bible has to say. The Bible never directly addresses the issue of cremation, nor does it prohibit it. Interestingly, there is no specific teaching in the Bible about cremation. I do think that respect should be shown to the person and it should be done with dignity and honor according to Christian beliefs and the family’s need for closure. Cremation, the practice of incinerating corpses, has grown immensely in popularity during the past decades. The children of Israel convicted a man name Achan of a … LDS Elder James E. Talmage, stated in 1913 , “It is peculiar to the theology of the Latter-day Saints that we regard the body as an essential part of the soul. Sponsored link. Less than 1 mile from the EKU campus. For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. : The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) has … Cremation or burning is merely another way of hastening the pro­cess of oxidation. During the new millennium however, cremation has become more popular here in America. Cremation is considered less damaging to the environment than a traditional burial. We’ve never been so happy as we are now.” These were messages from the … Burial leaves behind more than 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde each year. One might say that burial better reflects the biblical perspective on life, death and the body. What do Mormons Believe about Cremation? If so, the enemies of Christ would be able to do more than kill the body. Preacher: Mike Johnson Weekly sermon from the Richmond Church of Christ. Although the Bible does not specifically speak to the subject of cremation, we do find in the Word of God that only the heathen tribes cremated people (burned their bodies with fire after death), while the Jews always buried bodies in graves in the ground, or entombed their dead in a cave or in an sepulcher, similar to our modern day mausoleums. Saul and Jonathan were cremated by the Israelites after their deaths, but this was not normal practice in Israel. God does not give us rules in the Bible about burial or cremation. To see whether cremation mirrors the regard of body, the best spot to go to is Scripture. But even cremation is far from perfect in terms of sustainability. There is no command to bury, and there is no prohibition to cremate. What does The Bible say about cremation? A key criticism of traditional burial is the use of embalming. Cremation seems to be a sensible answer to the limited number of available gravesites and the rising cost of burial. From this, we know that one can’t say that cremation is a sin. My spouse and I have been discussing our final will and testament, including our personal preferences regarding funeral arrangements. That is so bogus. Burial was the acceptable method for disposing of corpses among the Israelites. So, in summary, what does the Bible say about cremation? Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Matthew 10:28 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Funerals and burials are prohibitive in cost to some of the most faithful members of the Church in that part of the world. If the commenter is right, how is that the burning ghats of Varanasi operate 24/7? No rules about burial or cremation. Cremation is not wrong, but burial is a better picture of the Christian hope of resurrection. Standard practice among Old Testament and in the New Testament was burial. We’re the lucky ones. Hence, although I personally prefer embalming and burial and although it has been the pattern followed by Israel, there appears to be no prohibition against cremation in the scriptures or in the theology of the Church. Part 1—What Do the Scriptures Say About “Survival After Death”? Therefore, cremation is in harmony with God's purpose for the disposal of the dead. Christians will not find the word “suicide” in Scripture, but the fact of suicide is seen throughout Scripture as an evidence of the struggle some have with the effects of mankind’s fallen nature. When cremation was practiced in the Bible, it showed contempt of person as mentioned in Joshua 7:25. As a result, many Mormons do not believe in doing anything destructive to the body, even after death. 1. The exact method is basically a matter of conscience since we do not find a direct commandment on this matter in God's Word. I agree the Scriptures do not specifically speak about cremation; however I do believe the answer is in the Scriptures. It is in Romans. In particular, he says it's sacrilegious to destroy the … The final resurrection Although the Bible does not specifically speak to the subject of cremation, we do find in the Word of God that only the heathen tribes cremated people (burned their bodies with fire after death), while the Jews always buried bodies in graves in the ground, or entombed their dead in a cave or in an sepulcher, similar to our modern day mausoleums. So Christians have some freedom in choosing between the two. Those who are considering cremation should also consider the impact of their decision on their survivors. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 ESV / 40 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. I feel strongly that cremation is the best way to go, but my husband says that it's a "pagan" practice. Theologians Apply Scripture to Cremation "Actually, the Scriptures do not say anything about required modes of burial for believers. Actually, the Scriptures do not say anything about required modes of burial for believers. First of all, burial, not cremation is exclusively mentioned and recommended in the Scriptures. Answer: The Bible does not give any specific teaching about cremation. The thing is, we are commanded to NOT do what the pagans do/did. What was once considered an obscure Eastern practice is now commonplace in the United States; according to Peter Smith, religion writer for "The Courier-Journal," only four percent of Americans were cremated in the early 1960s, while by 2012, the number had risen to 41 percent. This belief made cremation desirable, since it completely destroyed the physical body and freed the spirit from its earthly bond. Some say because the ancients observed the custom of burying the dead in the earth, so must we. Why don’t they concentrate on their pedophile priest situation and let decent people do what they wish with their bodies. Despite the fact that burning the remaining parts of the dead is referenced a couple of times in the Bible, Scripture isn’t explicit about the present act of incineration. And it is frightening to see Americans who in recent years commonly considered cremation wrong, now accept the abominable practice even with the blessing of their church leaders. Cremation was not practiced on both Lazarus and Jesus' body, as they were placed in the ground upon death (John 11, 12:17, Matthew 27, Mark 15, etc.). Cremation is a heathen custom, meaning a practice of people who do not have the Bible, or else have rejected its authority. Messages a British officer said he received from the war dead stir what questions? The could destroy the Christian's hope. Neither Indian law nor Hindu law is followed in UP. According to scriptures, no one should be cremated after sunset. 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