Choosing cremation

There is nothing in the Bible that prohibits cremation. It lies in the area of Christian freedom.

There was a time when some voices in the Christian church cautioned against cremation. In a day and age when some unbelievers utilized cremation as a way to defy God (“Let’s see if this supposed God can put me back together some day.”), some Christians advocated that followers of the Lord not cremate their bodies, so as not to be identified with unbelievers or an activity associated with some unbelievers.

That type of taunting has largely disappeared, so Christians today who make use of cremation are not likely to be confused with unbelievers. The choice of cremation over burial often includes ecological, economical and convenience factors. In the end, cremation essentially speeds up the process that occurs with traditional burial: “Dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).

So, again, there is no right or wrong in choosing traditional burial or cremation.