Death and Religion

The tale is famous. After years of searching in the Valley of the Kings, Howard Carter literally struck gold in 1922. Worried that he would run out of financial backing, he pressed one more time. Almost by accident, his team found an opening to a tomb. When Carter finally got inside the tomb of Tutankhamun, he told witnesses what he saw: “Wonderful things.” But that wasn’t the end of the story. In a practice that was performed all over Egypt even into the present day, Carter’s group removed all the treasures. They listed each item carefully and prepared them for relocation out of the country. If we don’t feel a little twinge of guilt every time we visit a museum and see an elaborate mummiform coffin, perhaps we ought to ask ourselves why. We have an interest in the burial practices of the ancient Egyptians. It’s real, tangible evidence of people living many thousands of years ago. But, in our keenness to understand these ancient civilizations, we

For an increasing number of people, the decision to cremate is simple. What they may or may not do with the ashes is a different matter entirely. While traditional burial is fairly straightforward, cremation opens up a world of choices for people planning for the future and their families. This decision comes with a variety of new concerns to address. By looking at the legal, religious and moral ramifications surrounding cremation, families can make the best selections for them and their loved ones' final wishes.

Legal Considerations

As a chaplain, my role is not to mandate religious doctrine, force individuals into specific choices or even advocate a particular lifestyle or worldview. Rather, the focus of chaplaincy care tends to be on facilitating the ability of individuals to articulate their own goals and values, and helping them uncover, navigate, translate and resolve some of the issues with which they might be struggling. People often ask me for guidance when confronted with the choice of cremation, as there is often religious guilt or complicated family tension associated with this decision. I know many people who have chosen cremation and are very comfortable with their choice. I also do not think that it

As the popularity of cremation expands throughout the United States, many religious scholars and clerics find themselves stuck in a conundrum. Within the next few years, cremation will likely become the norm in the U.S. Even in the Jewish tradition, where cremation has been considered taboo for centuries, congregations are dealing with more faithful members who seek cremation when they die. With research and new interpretation of religious texts, many rabbis have found a middle ground to allow Jews who have been cremated to have a proper burial in a Jewish cemetery. When the family observes the proper stages of mourning and keep a kosher burial plan, many congregations will honor their loved one’s request to be cremated.

Interpreting the Jewish Laws

Halachah, the Jewish law, states that people who have died must be buried on land. Simply put, according to the Torah, people are endowed with their bodies by their creator. When they die, they are supposed