You Asked It

Is Cremation Acceptable?

Is It right for Christadelphians to arrange for their deceased loved ones to be cremated? I would like to know what the Bible says about cremation It is becoming very popular

S W, Jamaica

During the centuries since Christ, faithful people have been destroyed in many ways including by fire God is able to bring back any person from the dead, remembering that many have slept in their graves for centu­ries Since we are looking forward to eternal life in a bodily state, however, it would seem more respectful of God’s design to avoid cremation if possible.

Biblical references to burning bodies in the fire are consistently negative because of the wicked practice of sacrificing humans as part of idolatry We should also note.

1. In Ezekiel 39 12 the slam of the Gogian host are buried, not burned, when burning would be the quicker means of disposal of the dead bod­ies
2. In Heb 11 35-38 burning is left out of the torments endured by the faithful as if this is too repugnant an end to be listed
3. It is the wicked who will be destroyed by fire “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25 41) A believer would quite naturally have a reluctance in any way to be associated with this end
4. In India, where cremation is the common Hindu means of disposing of dead bodies, Christians and Muslims always bury their dead, no Christian would consider cremation because of its Hindu associations (Thanks to Bro Tim Galbraith of India for this last item).

For these reasons, we feel it inap­propriate for a believer to request cre­mation or to voluntarily have one of their loved ones cremated.