When a loved one dies, there is always that decision to make whether the deceased's body should be buried or cremated. However, as a Christian, should one hold any preference over the other?
Burial Over Cremation
There are Christians who prefer burial rather than cremation, and there are various reasons for that. For one, there is no specific mention of cremation in the Bible. Because of this, there are religious communities that do not accept this practice, such as the Jews, Fundamental Christians, Eastern Orthodox, and Muslims. They are prohibited from cremation.
In the Bible, Israelites give respect to the dead bodies by cleaning the bodies and then burying them. It was considered a dishonor if the dead were not given a proper burial.
During cremation, the deceased body is placed in a wooden box, placed inside a furnace or what they call a crematorium, and then the body is burned until there are only ashes and bone fragments left. The latter will then undergo another process to be broken down. Not many people, even some Christians, agree with the idea of burning a body.
Another reason is that some Christians believe that God will one day come back and resurrect all the dead bodies. So if the body was already burned to ashes, these bodies will no longer be resurrected and thus, will not reunite with their souls and spirits.
Cremation over Burial
One of the many reasons why some Christians prefer cremation over burial is that it is a more affordable option. But of course, there are other factors why people choose this method. To counter the argument that cremated bodies will no longer be resurrected, there are those who argue that God can still resurrect these bodies with new bodies. One can obviously consider that there are innocent lives lost in fires, as well as martyrs who have been beheaded, or lost limbs, and surely this doesn't mean that God will reject them or is powerless to save them.
There is also the fact that every single body will decay with time anyway. From dust we came, to dust we will return. When the body is buried, the body will also decay and turn to dust. Except with cremation, the body isn't allowed to decay slowly anymore. Not many people like the idea of letting the corpse of their loved one decay slowly; some find this offensive to the deceased.
Furthermore, there are people who give instructions as to how they want their body to be disposed of once they die. Some people like to be cremated so that their ashes can be scattered in a place they hold dear when they were alive. Loved ones who are left behind also sometimes want to bring home the ashes of their deceased family member.
It's Your Decision
Clearly, there is no winner in this debate because it will all boil down to a matter of preference. It could be your preference or the deceased's while they were still alive. Your reasons to choose one over the other will vary from other people's reasons. Thus, it is important that you look into the wishes of the family members and come up with a decision that will most likely please everyone. What's really important here is that you treat the deceased's body with care, honor, and respect.
