Exploring the biblical guidance for Christian burial vs cremation
Understanding the symbolism of burial in baptism
Examining the historical and cultural associations with cremation
Discussing the importance of reverence for the human body
You know, we had a big argument with my mother not long before she died, and she wanted to be cremated, didn't want to take up space, didn't want to make a problem, and we just said, yeah, mom, yeah, mom, and then we buried her in a casket. And, I mean, this was a family argument we had. There is a lot of cremation done in the Christian church. I am not keen on it. I am not saying there is a firm biblical teaching against it, but I did a piece for Baptist Press a number of years ago where I listed ten reasons why I favored the other. And, you know, burial, that's a picture of baptism. That, you know, it's not like, I mean, we're buried with Christ in baptism, race and inness of life. There are associations with pagan burnings of the body, burning pyres in India and so forth. I think that the biblical example is of a kind of special regard for the preciousness of the bones. They bring the bones back and bury the body from Egypt and the like. I think also there's just great reverence for the body. I mean, my mom's body was one that birthed me and that nursed me. And as I look at that mom in the hospital bed with the little IVs and so forth, that body is precious. And there's a certain piece of reverence. I talk about just the treasure of graveyards, of cemeteries, how Cave Hill in Louisville has the bones of the founders of the seminary. And you can walk, and there are reverential moments. And our hymnody is full of it. Up from the grave, he arose. It's not like, and the ashes coalesce from the winds. You know, there are just so many reasons. It seemed to me to suggest that physical burial of a body is optimum. Thank you.
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