What does the Bible say about scattering ashes?

Ash Scattering References in the Bible
In the Bible, there are no passages that prohibit or encourage cremation and scattering of ashes. However, many Christian sects believe a burial funeral aligns with best end-of-life practices. As a result, some Christian clerics may discourage cremation or prohibit it entirely.

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What does the Bible say about ashes to ashes dust to dust?

ashes to ashes, dust to dust [Rel.]

A phrase from the burial service in the Book of Common Prayer: 'we therefore commit this body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life. '... ...

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Can you go to heaven if you are cremated?

No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven. So there's no need to worry, if God can create life from dust, surely he can restore life from ashes.

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Does the Bible say anything about ashes?

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we find the words “ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” which many people interpret as a biblical license to burn a dead body as an alternative to burial.

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What does the Bible say about cremated remains?

In 2 Kings 23:16-20, Josiah took the bones out of the tomb, burned them on the altar, and “defiled it.” However, nowhere in the Old Testament does the Bible command the deceased cannot be burned, nor are there any judgments attached to those that have been cremated.

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Here's What The Bible Says About Cremation

30 related questions found

Do you reunite with your spouse in heaven?

HAVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SPOUSES, LOVED ONES IN HEAVEN

A. Yes to both. The reunion will take place, but not as husband and wife. We learn this in Jesus' explanation to the Sadducees: "When people rise from death, there will be no marriage.

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What prayer to say while spreading ashes?

As we scatter his (her) ashes, we commit his(her) body to you and pray that he finds eternal rest for the glory of your holy name. Lord, forgive us where we have strayed during this grieving season. Fill us with thanksgiving for his well-lived and full life. In Jesus' name, we believe and pray, Amen.

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Can Christians scatter their ashes?

VATICAN CITY — Ashes to ashes is fine, the Vatican says, as long as you don't spread them around. On Tuesday, the Vatican responded to what it called an “unstoppable increase” in cremation and issued guidelines barring the scattering of ashes “in the air, on land, at sea or in some other way.”

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Is it a sin to scatter ashes?

Here are the top cremation myths and what the Catholic church has to say about them. Cremated ashes can be scattered. Though the Pope and the Church approve of cremation, scattering of one's ashes is strictly prohibited.

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Do Christians believe in spreading ashes?

According to the Church's cremation guidelines, cremated remains must be buried and not scattered. Whether the ashes are buried in a traditional coffin or placed in an urn in a mausoleum, either way the ashes must remain in one place and be placed in a sacred resting place.

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Where does your soul go if you are cremated?

From a Christian perspective, people who have been cremated can certainly go to Heaven. First, the soul never dies, and when one accepts Christ as their personal savior it is the soul that receives eternal salvation and not the earthly body.

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Is cremation a sin against God?

A: In the Bible, cremation is not labeled a sinful practice. Frankly, the topic is not dealt with at all in terms of the detailed lists of instructions for living and dying set forth by almighty God in the Old and New testaments. The short answer to your question appears to be no, cremation is not a sin.

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Which religion does not accept cremation?

Of all world religions, Islam is probably the most strongly opposed to cremation. Unlike Judaism and Christianity, there is little diversity of opinion about it. Cremation is considered by Islam to be an unclean practice.

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Where in the Bible does it say earth to earth ashes to ashes?

You can't find ashes to ashes, dust to dust in the Bible because it isn't there! The phrase comes from the funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer, and it is based on Genesis 3:19, Genesis 18:27, Job 30:19, and Ecclesiastes 3:20. Those passages say that we begin and end as dust. Where did the ashes come from?

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Why are ashes important in the Bible?

Ashes symbolized mourning, mortality and penance. For instance, in the Book of Esther, Mordecai put on sackcloth and ashes when he heard of the decree of King Ahasuerus (or Xerxes, 485-464 B.C.) of Persia to kill all of the Jewish people in the Persian Empire (Esther 4:1).

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Where does the Bible mention Ashes?

When Abraham talks to God in Genesis 18, asking him to spare Sodom, he says, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.” In summary, the Bible uses dust and ashes to refer to mankind's humble origin, feeble composition, and temporal nature.

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Why did the Catholic Church ban scattering ashes?

Cremation does not “prevent God, in his omnipotence, from raising up the deceased body to new life,” the Vatican says, but it does raise the possibility that the deceased's body, which the church believes is sacred, will not be properly respected by ancestors and relatives.

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Is it OK to separate someone's ashes?

You certainly can! There are several regulations governing ash spreading, but none governing ash division. Following a loved one's cremation, some families prefer to split the ashes.

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What do Christians do with cremated ashes?

Most Christian churches agree that when cremation is chosen, the cremains should be treated with similar dignity and respect as would be afforded in a traditional funeral. They should be placed in an urn and afforded a religious funeral or memorial service, and should be placed in a permanent location for remembrance.

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What do Christians do with the ashes?

Ash Wednesday – officially known as the Day of Ashes – is a day of repentance, when Christians confess their sins and profess their devotion to God. During a Mass, a priest places the ashes on a worshiper's forehead in the shape of a cross.

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How do you scatter ashes respectfully?

You can scatter ashes by casting them into the wind from a scattering tube.
...
Here are some of the most popular options:
  1. Cast them into the wind. ...
  2. Let the tide wash them away. ...
  3. Create a garden feature. ...
  4. Raise a toast. ...
  5. Make a circle on the ground.

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What to say before scattering ashes?

What to Say When Scattering Ashes
  • Say Nothing. Have a moment of silence in honor of the departed loved one.
  • Say a Prayer. You can pray extemporaneously, ask a pastor or clergy to do it, or use one of the prayers below.
  • Share a Favorite Quote. ...
  • Give a Eulogy. ...
  • Open Mic.

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How long do cremated ashes last?

Since all of the organic matter is burned away during cremation, this is why ashes can last (almost) forever - or at least for our entire lifetime. Bones are still DNA and scientists believe that DNA has survived for about one million years.

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Will we recognize each other in heaven?

Christians who know and love each other on earth will know and love each other in heaven.

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