As a Christian, may you attend a cremation? Does your presence at the gathering before the cremation mean that you are in agreement with this form of dealing with the body? Believers, today, can struggle with these questions.

Once cremation was carried out outside of our life circle. That was when we were still a country that was marked by Christian ways of thinking and habits, and questions such as this did not or seldom did arise.

In the time of pillarization (separation of citizens into groups based on religion or political persuasion), contact with those who thought differently was limited. Therefore, for a long time, it was easy to say that a Protestant should not be present at a Roman Catholic funeral or even take one step into the door of the crematorium. It was – disregarding exceptions – simply nothing to do with us.

In the Netherlands⤒🔗

In the Netherlands, the burning of bodies remained forbidden for a long time, in contrast to neighbouring countries. Milan already opened a crematorium in 1874. It was not until 1955 that cremation became regulated in Dutch law. Until 1968, extra regulations, which had to be obeyed, remained in force; after that, burial and cremation were deemed equal.

Nevertheless, on April 1, 1914, a cremation oven was put into use in Velsen. Lawyers from the Society for the Promotion of the Burning of Bodies in the Netherlands, organized in 1874, found a gap in the laws and those who favoured cremation greedily made use of it. Because of that, Dr. C.J. Vaillant from Schiedam became the first to be cremated in the Netherlands. Not until 1954 was there another crematorium built, this one in Dieren.

The percentage of cremations is increasing. Whereas in 1950, it stood at 2 %, since 2003 more people are being cremated annually than are being buried. In 2015, it had risen to 63 %. The expectation is that this rise will continue.

That is also valid for common-law living, euthanasia, and rebaptism. Meanwhile, it can happen just like that, that your child goes to live together with someone, becomes involved in a homosexual relationship, and decides to marry his or her friend. A relative by blood who is seriously sick or weary of life can put out a request for euthanasia and receive it. What do you do then if you are invited to the gathering of the mourners? These are dilemmas with which we are increasingly faced.

Biblical Norm←⤒🔗

Whereas, in the Netherlands, in 1950, barely 2 % of the deceased were cremated, in 2015, this had increased to a generous 63 %. In 1950, there was, as yet, only one crematorium in the Netherlands; today there are–including those ovens being constructed – 92.

The burning of bodies has been done from ancient times, but is not as old as humanity. An evolutionist will draw different conclusions about this point. Going by what the Bible tells us in the book of Genesis, Abel is the first one buried. Abraham buys a parcel of ground in the promised land in order to give Sarah her final resting place. Burial continues to be the norm for dealing with the dead among God’s people. Remaining unburied counts as shame. Heathens burned their dead, but Israel buried their departed loved ones. Burning is connected with punishment (Amos 2:1).

In the New Testament this line remains unchanged. Lazarus is buried, even as the young man in Nain. Christ also is buried, but the grave could not hold him. In continuity of this practice, Christians bury their dead. The images Paul uses in this connection are full of meaning. (1 Corinthians 15). He does not speak about a cemetery, but of a field, in which the relatives piously lay down the body of their beloved as a seed. When one sows, one expects something and looks for the harvest. In John 12:24, Jesus uses the image of a grain of wheat that is consumed in the earth; this is also what happens to the body. In effect, this is not different from what is left over after cremation, yet, as Christians, we do not choose that method of breaking down the substance of the body. For seed germinates to new life. That is the beckoning perspective of faith.

Motivation←⤒🔗

Where the Christian faith extended to new territory, burial took the place of cremation. Caesar Constantine forbade cremation after he was converted to Christianity, and Karl the Great threatened with punishment of death for anyone who transgressed the command against cremation which he pronounced in 785.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, advocates of cremation organized themselves. Hygiene and the use of space became the most important motives for cremation. Later, environmental concerns were added to this. If we were to consider only the amount and cost of energy used for cremation and the flue gas emissions, then for those reasons alone, burial should be preferred.

Financial considerations are also part of this argument. It is difficult to comprehend that in diverse ‘Christian’ societies, burial costs considerably more than cremation. Sometimes four times as much! Another argument is that one does not want to impose the maintenance of a gravesite on those left behind. The ash container is admittedly a perfect alternative to the gravestone. As a practical advantage, it is mentioned that you do not have to stand outside in burning heat, streaming rain or gripping cold, as would be the case with burial. Recent statistics do show a slight preference again, among the young, for burial. One does attach oneself to a place of remembrance.

Opposition←⤒🔗

Until 1963, within the Roman Catholic Church, cremation was not allowed. Whoever did still choose that route, thereby gave up the right to a church funeral. In 1963, the church, under the leadership of the newly appointed Pope Paul IV, decided to relax its position in this matter. Burial remained the preference, but cremation was now also allowed, as long as it was not done with an attitude of disdain or of rebellion against the catholic faith.

The great Protestant churches, in so far as I was able to research, have never issued an official declaration against cremation. Until the 60s, there was great opposition to the burning of the body. People regarded burial, rather than cremation, in full agreement with church and Biblical morals. The chairman of the Reformed people, Abraham Kuyper saw the propaganda for cremation as a ‘powerful attempt to unhinge society from her Christian background.’ He spoke of cremation as being in conflict with the Christian confession, the expectation of the resurrection of the dead at the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-15). A Christian will also want to follow Christ in this, that His body was buried and not burned. This is the line of Reformed orthodoxy to this day. Personally, in this light, I have always had difficulty with the clearing out of graves, and that especially from the point of view of piety.

Valuation←⤒🔗

The opinion that burial is only an old tradition, not founded on the clearly spoken will of God, won much territory in a short time. In 1961, the synod of the Reformed Churches directed that people who chose for cremation were to be treated with respect.

Cremation does not always depend on one’s own choice. We only need to think about the thousands who came to their end in the burning ovens of the Third Reich. Also today, you can perish in a sea of flame as a result of disaster or accident. Would God not be able to awaken that ash and cause the deceased to rise again with a glorious resurrection body on the day of His return? I do protest against the intimation which I encountered somewhere that the body is only ‘wrapping.’ Not so long ago, in ultra-orthodox circles, from the pulpit, it was spoken of as a ‘maggot bag’ That is a repulsive expression that does as little justice as the better known ‘material remains’ to the Biblical vision of the body and the Christian expectation of the future.

A Matter of Conscience←⤒🔗

Am I in agreement with cremation when I am present in the gathering which precedes the process? I do not see this as a question of direct or indirect agreement. As someone who is invited, I do not feel responsible for the content of the funeral service, for what is said or done there. More than ever, funerals are turning into a spectacle that makes people, as confessing Christians, cringe. Being present at the funeral of someone who committed suicide or chose for euthanasia, does not mean that I am in agreement with the choice and method of dealing with it.

That relatives make choices that sometimes run in direct contrast to the will of the deceased, does not require further explanation. In that case, the question of what the minister will do becomes urgent. Conspicuous by its absence or – albeit reluctantly – letting the gospel sound through the auditorium…? That is if the concerned parties even want the minister there. I can also well imagine that the minister of the congregation would say ‘no’ to avoidt creating a precedent. What other concessions might you have to make? You create boundaries for yourself and you are not a kind of decoration included to create atmosphere or give it a solemn note. Let each person be fully persuaded in his own conscience.

Main ideas:←↰⤒🔗

• Burial and cremation are not regarded equally in the Bible.
• Burying our dead conforms with Biblical tradition.
• Staying away from a funeral service in the auditorium of a crematorium may not become a demonstration of right thinking.
• In the case of neighbours, it is easier to stay away than when it concerns direct family.
• It will relieve our own conscience when, at an appropriate moment, we explain our problems with cremation to the family of the deceased person.
• Cremating or burying is not the main issue of the Christian faith.
• That our absolute preference is burial will be clearly seen.