Cremation Questions & Answers The Rev'd. Fr. Gregory Murphy

Q. Is it OK for an Orthodox Christian to be cremated?

A:
Perhaps I might say a few words about this issue...
According to some reports, nearly a quarter of Americans choose to be cremated (over 40% in California, Florida, and Arizona), and there are many "high profile" celebrities who serve as models of this choice, such as John F. Kennedy,Jr., John Lennon & George Harrison, Gene Roddenberry, Timothy Leary, Jerry Garcia, Gianni Versace, and Sir John Gielgud to name just a few. Although I am neither a scholar nor a historian in this particular matter, nevertheless, the issue is one that comes up quite often in pastoral conversation. The arguments in favor of cremation seem to mostly fall into the category of expediency: that we are running out of room for cemeteries, or that funerals are expensive and cremation is a cheaper alternative, or that cremation spares the family (or the person who is to be cremated) the unpleasant idea of the body undergoing decay in the grave, or that some societies practice cremation regularly and therefore it is merely a matter of social-context -- perhaps there are other arguments in favor of cremation, but in general pastoral conversation, these are the ones most often cited.

On the other hand, I never seem to hear any cogent, theological reasons put forth that might support cremation for Orthodox Christians. Burning the body is never spoken of in a favorable way in Holy Scripture. The Apostolic Fathers do not recommend it. The Church has never practiced it. In short, putting the most positive spin on the contemporary attitude toward cremation, we might say that the Euro-American practice of cremation, as it is exists today, is a "novelty."

Any time we Orthodox Christians come up against an idea or practice that is "new" we mustn't reject it out of hand, but rather we must start by examining the novelty in light of the basic tenets of our Faith. The generally widespread and favorable attitude toward cremation, that it is a valid option in funerary practice, is a relatively recent phenomenon that should be openly and fairly examined by Holy Orthodoxy to assess its purported value. We need to ask theological questions, to hold up the idea and its practice to the rule of faith and to historical practices of the Church, and see how it measures up. The "new thing" might be quite acceptable if it promotes and furthers the "Faith once delivered unto the saints." But if that idea and its practice are at odds with the basic tenets of our Faith, or if they diminish our witness of the Gospel of Christ to the world, then we must not promote the idea or its practice. In short, in this process of discernment, it is important to get a firm grasp of the central theological issues at stake, and not to be sidetracked by superfluous claims.

Although cremation was widely practiced in pre-Christian Europe (at least, a rather "rustic" form of it), the Cremation Association of North America reports that "modern" cremation, as we know it, actually began only a little over a century ago, when a Professor Brunetti of Italy finally perfected his prototype for a cremation chamber and displayed it at the 1873 Vienna Exposition. The "Cremation Movement" started almost simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic after this exhibition. When proponents of cremation speak of this act as "scientific progress" and as "purification by fire" there is usually no mention of the actual process. I wonder how those who advocate this procedure for their loved ones would feel if they knew what actually happens? -- The process begins with the superheating (to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit) of the body, which desiccates it and then vaporizes the flesh and organs. This takes about two hours. The bones and teeth, which do not burn even at these high temperatures, are disposed of by violently crushing and grinding the skull, teeth, and bones into small sand-like fragments. The technical term for this procedure is "mechanical processing" of the "non-combustible" material. Then, the "cremains" (as the cremation remains are termed) are deposited in a sealed tube for delivery to the family. This impersonal and mechanical attitude toward the "remains" of one's loved one seems, to me, to be diametrically opposed to the attitude which an Orthodox Christian ought to maintain toward the body of their reposed loved one.

In light of this knowledge about the process of cremation, the ubiquitous arguments of expediency seem to me to be disingenuous, at best, and in a darker sense, tend to obscure the deeper moral and theological questions. Should cremation be favored by the Orthodox Faithful? Let us ask, rather, does this practice promote or detract from the Gospel witness of the Church to the world? Let us ask whether you or I are diminished, as a Child of God, if we allow ourselves or our loved ones to partake of this practice? Is cremation a loving act? These are the types of questions we have to ask when examining this "novelty," not whether cremation is a cost effective means of disposing of a dead body.

One of the basic tenets of Holy Orthodoxy is respect for God's Creation. Unlike Satan and the demonic forces, who are bent on the destruction and defacement of God's Creation, we Christians are called upon to respect, care for, and love all that God has made. If some things occur in this world that seem less than lovely due to the forces of corruption in this Age (such as diseased or malformed bodies -- or even dead bodies), we, as Orthodox Christians, are called upon to love and venerate these things. Some cultures have practiced euthanasia, and it might be argued, from expediency, that one ought to dispose of malformed, twisted bodies because they are a burden on society; or one might argue that unwanted pregnancies or the aged and infirm are just taking up space and resources. When painted in such a stark way, it is easier to see that this type of argument is certainly contrary to the Orthodox Way.

But then there is that gray area of "dead bodies" -- should we regard them in the same way that we regard the bodies of the living that are diseased and infirm? After all, aren't we through with such things after we die? Isn't this body a fleshy cloak that we are glad to shed at death? There is an unfortunate -- and very UN-Orthodox -- idea floating around in the Super-Spiritual corners of "cultic" Orthodoxy that has a tendency to promote the idea that we should yearn for the "spiritual" things and that the "physical" things are less important, or worse, that they are a burden which keeps us from true holiness (that the body must be mercilessly crushed into submission). A similar Gnostic idea floating around in mainstream American culture celebrates the "spiritual realm" and has people chasing after angels (and wearing little chubby "cherubs" as jewelry) and consulting the PsychicHotline, and generally regarding this life as something that one has to "get through" before one dies and is drawn into "that intense circle of light" (that all the afterdeath survivors chatter about) and are finally freed from the burdens of the flesh.

With the prevalence of these attitudes about the body, it is no wonder that we see the rise of cremation. It is a logical extension of these ideas to regard cremation as just another method for disposing of a hated and detestable thing. This attitude can also lead our Orthodox Faithful to minimize and devalue the Christian Mystery of Orthodox funeral rites, and to consider cremation as a harmless, or even as a positive and beneficial alternative.

The Incarnation of our God exposed that demonic inspiration as a great lie. Our bodies, as well as our souls, are equally HOLY and we cannot exist except as a union of these two (this is why we must feed and clothe the poor and the infirm, as well as pray for them). The greatest tragedy of corruption and decay (brought upon us by Adam and Eve's regrettable choice) is that one's body and soul must be torn asunder at death. At death, the soul does not go to live in blissful contentment in Paradise, freed from the hated body. The Human Person is a unity of soul and body. This is why we yearn for the Second Coming (as we profess in the Creed), because God will make all things new, and our bodies will be re-united with our souls. We are meant to live in God's Eternity as God, Himself, IS -- that is, as incarnated beings. The angels will never be able to attain this blessing, only humanity has been given this great gift: the union of body and soul, of materiality and immateriality.

We must learn to value and venerate our bodies, and to be attentive to the sanctity of both body and soul. This veneration of the body should be shown to infirm bodies, to scarred bodies, to tired and deprived bodies, to the bodies of our enemies as well as to our friends, to both saints and to sinners -- and to the body both before and after death. It is not a sign of veneration or of respect to preempt the dissolution of the body into its constituent parts by the act of cremation. This is not to say that if someone is killed by flames, such as in the horror of the World Trade Center tragedy, that they have any hand in desecrating their bodies. Even to think of that horrible event makes us see more clearly how the intentional burning of bodies shows disrespect. When St. Paul writes in II Corinthians that "even if I give my body up to be burned" he is using this as an example of extreme degradation and sacrifice. When we read the account of Polycarp's martyrdom, we see that the burning of his body was meant to be the ultimate form of insult and humiliation. Also, when we consider that the image of the body in Scripture is that of the Temple of the Holy Spirit, we must understand that this exalted status does not cease at the time of death. We need only pause for a moment to think of how the Communists sought to desecrate the Church by destroying the Temples of God, both the churches and the bodies of the saints.

When we consider the entire course of liturgical actions that we, as Orthodox Christian clergy, perform before the moment of death, at the time of death, and after death (both immediately afterward, during the three days of the funeral service, during the 40 days, and thereafter) we understand that our rites proclaim the ultimate continuity of the whole person, both body and soul. The offering of the slee'ah (koliva) is a direct metaphor of the kernel, which produces manifold return for the Master, and reminds us of the "savor of spiritual sweetness" when it is shared with the Faithful. It is not possible to offer this gift with the accompanying prayers of the Trisagion if there is no parallel, in actual fact, of the body being reverently placed in the grave.

Also, as we know, during the history of the Church's sojourn in this Age, God has shown forth the sanctity of his saints not only during their lives, but also even after their death. The incorrupt bodies of a number of his saints, and the miracles that come from those bodies, are a powerful statement that even the most terrible consequence of the Fall (death) cannot keep God's Grace from benefiting His Church. When the body is burned in cremation, this choice preempts God's choice. God can certainly manifest his Grace in other ways (and does), but the choice of cremation prevents a most astounding and visible manifestation of His declaration that the power of death has been destroyed.

While I don't think that a person is damned if they are cremated, neither do I think that this act manifests the Love for our reposed loved ones that God would have us choose. The love and veneration and respect for the dead body of Jesus, which the disciples showed after His passion and death, should be our model. The body of our Lord was not cast down the hillside as an ugly and detestable thing. The disciples venerated His body as much after His death as before. This shows that the body is not just a husk that can be discarded and burnt and ground to powder and packaged for shipment -- like some nondescript product rolling off the assembly line. Rather, the body after death is the very-image of Jonah (very much alive in the depths of the abyss for a time) that holds the promise of the Glorious thing to come at the Resurrection.

I think I may fairly say that I can see no reason to commend this "novelty." The practical benefits are negligible, and more importantly, the theological considerations point in exactly the opposite direction. As for the Japanese Christians, if the Church cannot convince the civil authorities to grant an exemption for the small number of Orthodox Faithful who live in Japan, then I think that God will highly honor those who are forced to do this thing. He tells us to render to Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to be good citizens of the society in which we live, for the sake of the Gospel. I believe that God will certainly honor all those who are obliged to undergo cremation because the State requires it. But if there is a possibility to choose, then I believe one should choose to honorably and piously bury one's reposed loved ones. I believe one should choose to provide all the benefits that the rites of the Church have to offer for those who have reposed. To choose otherwise is to choose a course of action that is less respectful and loving, and which deprives their loved one of the inestimable benefits of the Church's ministrations.

In closing, I would offer a brief portion of the account of the martyrdom of Polycarp for our consideration. I believe it reveals, with great pathos, the unfailing love that our forebears showed toward his "remains." It illustrates how the Faithful highly prized his body, even after its degradation in the flames. Their actions forcefully answer any who might regard the body as just one more disposable product of our "throw away" society. Love IS the answer.

I offer these thoughts in humble service and charity, without seeking to offend anyone.
I am,
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus,
Fr. GregoryLazarus Murphy

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