The Earliest Instance of Cremation The archaeological record cites the Mungo Lady, the approximately 20,000 year-old remains of a partly cremated body found near Australia's Lake Mungo, as one of the world's oldest known cremations.
When did cremation begin? Scholars have agreed that cremation began in the Stone Age, around 3000 B.C. Taking a western perspective, during the Stone Age cremation began to spread across northern Europe, as evidenced by decorative pottery urns in western Russia among the Slavic peoples.
New evidence from Lake Mungo in Western New South Wales shows that Indigenous Australians were cremating their dead at least 40,000 years ago.
The practice of cremation on open fires was introduced to the Western world by the Greeks as early as 1000 bce. They seem to have adopted cremation from some northern people as an imperative of war, to ensure soldiers slain in alien territory a homeland funeral attended by family and fellow citizens.
Cremation in the Old Testament
“The people decided to cremate Saul and Jonathan and then bury their ashes because their bodies had been mutilated by the Philistines. In another instance, Achan and his family were cremated after being executed for sinning against Israel (Joshua 7:25).
For most Christians today, the question of cremation is largely left to individual discretion. Many Christians choose cremation as an alternative to burial, while still retaining those aspects of their traditional funeral practices that allow them to honor the lives of their loved ones and glorify God.
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.
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.
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.
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. If a body is cremated, these churches may refuse to participate in those funeral services.
Detailing the process - after the funeral service
Following the funeral service, the coffin is moved to the crematorium. Once accepted by crematorium staff the coffin remains sealed throughout the cremation process.
Bodily remains must be suitably enclosed in a coffin, container or receptacle for cremation. Remains can be collected within 2 working days of cremation. A right of interment and interment authorisation must be in place before cremated remains can be interred.
Human ashes do not dissolve in the ocean's waters. However, being a coarse, gritty, sand-like substance, the ashes will scatter throughout the ocean with no negative effects.
While most people view traditional burials as the more common and most historical disposition method, cremation actually has a far more ancient history. In fact, historians believe that humans started burning their dead as early as 3000 B.C!
9,000 years ago, a young adult was cremated in a pit of flowers. The oldest known person to be intentionally cremated in the Near East took their last breath about 9,000 years ago, and their body went up in flames shortly thereafter, a new study finds.
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.
During cremation, the body parts that do burn consist of organs, soft tissue, hair, and skin, while the water in our bodies evaporates. The body parts that do not burn are bone fragments.
In Christian countries, cremation fell out of favor due to the Christian belief in the physical resurrection of the body. Christians also used burial as a mark of difference from the Iron Age European pre-Christian Pagan religions, which usually cremated their dead.
The body does not feel pain during cremation because the person is no longer alive. When a person dies, their brain stops sending signals to the body. This means that the person cannot feel pain or any other sensation. In fact, a dead person feels nothing at all.
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.
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.
In Islam, the deceased are to be buried within 24 hours. This was highlighted in media reports of the death of Osama bin Laden.
Is it OK to Keep Cremains at Home? There's nothing bad about keeping cremated remains at home. Even though the practice is legal, those from specific faith communities may object to the practice. Some religious faiths, such as followers of Islam, Eastern Orthodox, and some Jewish sects forbid cremation.
Is there energy in cremation ashes? The truth is, there is an essence of your loved one that lingers with the cremation ashes. While it may not be a consciousness, it is a little of their energy that stays behind, almost like someone's perfume that lingers in the air even after they have left the room.
No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven.