Topical Sermons - Executable Outlines

Cremation Or Burial?
Mark A. Copeland
INTRODUCTION
1. A practice increasing in popularity is that of cremation as opposed to burial...
a. Cremation is certainly much cheaper
b. Popularized in modern culture (e.g., the cremation scene at the end of Star Wars I)
2. But concerned Christians often ask...
a. Is cremation scriptural?
b. Is cremation sinful?
c. What about loved ones who have been cremated?
[For answers to such questions, it may help to do a Biblical and historical survey concerning the
practices of cremation and burial. So let’s begin with..]
I. THE PRACTICE OF CREMATION
A. IN THE BIBLE...
1. The bodies of Saul and his sons were burned, but the bones were buried (twice!) - 1 Sam
31:12-13; cf. 2 Sam 21:12-14
2. Bodies were sometimes burned during times of pestilence - Amo 6:10
3. Bodies were burned as a form of condemnation - Josh 7:15,25; 2 Kin 23:19-20
4. Moab was judged for burning the bones of the king of Edom - Amo 2:1
5. Paul writes of giving his body to be burned, but he was speaking of martyrdom - 1 Co 13:3
-- Nowhere in the Scriptures is cremation spoken of with approval
B. IN HISTORY...
1. “Cremation was the normal practice of Greeks and Romans. Many of them believed in the
immortality of the soul and saw no reason to give special attention to the body.” - Timothy
George, Cremation Confusion
2. “Hindus, with their doctrine of reincarnation, still practice cremation.” - ibid.
3. “Among the early Hebrews cremation was the exception.” - ISBE (revised)
4. “Some rabbis considered the burning of the corpse consistent only with idolatry (Abodah
Zarah i.3).” - ISBE (revised)
5. “The first cremation in America took place in 1876, accompanied by readings from Charles
Darwin and the Hindu scriptures.” - George, ibid.
6. “For many years, relatively few persons (mostly liberals and freethinkers) chose cremation.
But that has changed dramatically. Only 5 percent of Americans were cremated in 1962; by
2000 it was 25.5 percent.” - George, ibid.
-- The practice of cremation is clearly of heathen origin
[Now let’s consider...]
II. THE CUSTOM OF BURIAL
A. IN THE BIBLE...
1. Burial was clearly the custom among the patriarchs
Topical Sermons 87