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.
Eastern Orthodox Catholicism (Greek and Russian)
Eastern Orthodox churches strongly oppose cremation. This is because these orthodox religions associate cremation with a deliberate desecration of the body. These churches prefer the natural decomposition of a traditional burial.
In fact, Hinduism is the only religion that mandates cremation, which is known as antim sanskar, or last rites.
As a Catholic, may I be cremated? Yes. In May 1963, the Vatican's Holy Office (now the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith) lifted the prohibition forbidding Catholics to choose cremation.
Changes in Catholic teachings on cremation
Though the Vatican forbade cremation for centuries, the Church amended its Code of Canon Law in 1963, lifting its ban on cremation. As long as cremation is not chosen to partake in a pagan ritual, the Church allows it.
Nor can the ashes be scattered in the air, land or sea since doing so would give the appearance of "pantheism, naturalism or nihilism," the guidelines said. It repeated church teaching that Catholics who choose to be cremated for reasons contrary to the Christian faith must be denied a Christian funeral.
Muslims are always buried, never cremated. It is a religious requirement that the body be ritually washed and draped before burial, which should be as soon as possible after death.
Although the Catholic Church prefers in-ground burial or entombment of a deceased person's body, cremation of the body prior to burial is allowed within the confines of the religion.
A 1986 report by the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards states that cremation is against Jewish tradition and should be advised so by the Rabbi. The report goes on to say that if your family ignores the Rabbi's advice, the Rabbi may still choose to officiate the service at a funeral parlor before the cremation.
Until fairly recently, Christianity agreed with Judaism and Islam that cremation was antithetical to their belief and custom. Today, however, most Christian churches have changed positions, and the percentage of Christians who are choosing cremation as an alternative to traditional burial practices is growing.
Islamic belief holds that only Allah knows what is good or bad for us and that the body should be treated with the utmost respect in life and in death. Burning the dead is considered a form of mutilation, forbidden by Allah.
Hinduism: In the Hindu faith, there is no burial. The bodies are burned. In India ceremonial customs vary depending on the region, said Atul Trivedi, an area Hindu priest.
Buddhists and cremation
Due to their belief in reincarnation, cremation is seen as the preferred choice when a loved one dies. The physical body holds little significance to the Buddhist faith, it is merely a vessel for holding the soul. Buddhists also believe in organ donation as it is seen as a good deed.
According to most Biblical study websites, there is no explicit scriptural command for or against cremation. There are no passages that forbid cremation, according to most Biblical scholars. However, some passages describe standard death practices during these times.
Since the Bible does not ban nor promote cremation, most Christian denominations do not consider cremation to be sinful. The Catholic church, however, held an opposing view for many years.
Burying the dead was the usual practice in Biblical times, and until recently, the preferred method for most people when they passed. Even though many Bible passages see cremation as necessary in only dire times, nowhere in the Bible is cremation directly condemned.
Cremation is prohibited under Islamic law because, unlike in some cultures, it is considered a violation of the dignity of the human body. Based on reports attributed to Prophet Muhammed it is mustaḥab (or preferred)—i.e., not farḍ/wājib (compulsory)—to bury the dead bodies quickly.
Cremation (using fire and heat) is the process by which the body of the deceased is reduced to its basic elements. Cremation is permitted for Catholics as long as it is not chosen in denial of Christian teaching on the Resurrection and the sacredness of the human body.
Burial is considered to allow the body to decompose naturally, therefore embalming is forbidden. Burial is intended to take place in as short an interval of time after death as possible. Displaying of the body prior to burial does not take place.
No, it is not a sin to separate ashes. The Bible does not specifically mention cremation or the scattering of ashes, so there is no ruling on this matter. However, some people may have religious or spiritual beliefs that say cremation and the scattering of ashes are not acceptable.
Catholic funerals usually occur within three days of the death, but can be anything up to a week. When a Catholic is nearing death, a special rites and Holy Communion is often carried out by a priest or deacon.
Catholicism. Officially, the Roman Catholic Church prefers normal casket burials over cremations, but does allow for burials at sea of whole or cremated remains. The Church defines burial at sea as sinking remains in a worthy container to the sea bottom and final resting place.
Glass, rubber and large metal items can not be cremated. Any objects that you wish to keep such as jewellery or other items should be removed prior to the cremation.
Cremation in Japan was originally practiced by monks seeking to emulate the cremation of the Buddha. Virtually all deceased are now cremated in Japan – as of 2012, it had the highest cremation rate in the world of over 99.9%.
Typically, funerals are held within a few days up to a week after the person's death. This gives the family enough time to make arrangements with the funeral home and contact the loved ones of the deceased.