Cremation is still strictly forbidden in Judaism and Islam. In Christianity it was most of the time.

Cremation has long been taboo

There are several reasons given for this:

1. In the Bible only burials were considered honorable (many texts with "buried", "grave").
2. A burial visibly expresses the belief that the dead are asleep and will rise again on Judgment Day when "the graves are opened" (Ezekiel 37,12.13:5,28.29; John XNUMX:XNUMX).
3. Particularly bad criminals were burned alive (Leviticus 3:20,14; 21,9:7,25; Joshua XNUMX:XNUMX). As a result, the cremation of a human was generally perceived as something very negative, reserved for the lost-for-eternity, so to speak.
4. Cremation, for example, occurred after the execution of idolatrous priests (1 Kings 13,2:2; 23,20 Kings 2:34,5; XNUMX Chronicles XNUMX:XNUMX).
5. The fire symbolizes the final annihilation in the lake of fire (Revelation 19,20:20,10.14.15; XNUMX:XNUMX-XNUMX-XNUMX).
6. The papacy used this understanding in the Inquisition to execute heretics.
7. Cremation was and is considered the burial of choice in the Far Eastern religions (New Age) and is intended to free the soul from the body. Cremation was also widespread among the Greeks and Romans in ancient times.

Cremation of King Saul and his sons?

Only once in the Bible is cremation found in a "positive" context, and that is with King Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 31,11:13-2). However, the bodies were only burned down to the bones and then buried after all. The bodies were probably only burned because they were already open to decay (21,10.11 Samuel 2:21,12). The burning is not mentioned in the two parallel texts that speak of Saul's burial (14 Samuel 2:10,11-12; XNUMX Chronicles XNUMX:XNUMX-XNUMX).

Adventist theologian George Reid of the Adventist Biblical Research Institute refers to this incident when presenting cremation as a biblically legitimate alternative method.
https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/practical-christian-living/cremation

Another author points out that Ellen White does not say a negative word about the cremation in her description of this event, but speaks of an "honorary burial" (Patriarchs and Prophets.

Aaron's funeral: simple and exemplary

“Of the burial of Israel's High Priest the Scriptures give but a simple account: 'There Aaron died, and there was buried.' (Deuteronomy 5:10,6) What a stark contrast to modern-day customs was this burial, that of God was carried out with an express order. Nowadays, men of high position are often buried with pomp and pomp. But when Aaron died, one of the most famous men who ever lived, only two of his closest friends attended his death and funeral. This lonely tomb on Mount Hor was forever hidden from the eyes of Israel. God is not honored by the grandiose acts and magnificent adornments so often bestowed on the dead, nor by the exorbitant expense of turning their corpses back to the dust.« (Patriarchs and Prophets, 427)

So it would not be so unbiblical to have a burial closed to the public or most of the family. In fact, Moses had no human witnesses at all (Deuteronomy 5:34,6). In such cases, however, there was a 30-day mourning period (Numbers 4:12,29; Deuteronomy 5:34,8). So today there are more frequent commemorations far away from the cemeteries and a few weeks after the date of death, in which the commemoration can be linked with the message of hope.

Raising corpses, bones or ashes?

The angel Michael fought with Satan over the body of Moses (Jude 9). So the Bible seems to still give a meaning to a dead body. In the vision, Ezekiel saw people rising from the dead bones lying around on the battlefield (chapter 37). So God can not only raise corpses, but also raise the whole human being, even if only bones remain. He formed Eve from a rib (Genesis 1:2,22).

But at the resurrection on the last day, God will literally create the dead out of nothing. Nor is he dependent on at least one piece of bone, as some Jewish rabbis put it. According to the latest research, all bone cells in the human body are completely replaced once every ten years.

If God were not able to resurrect man without his bones remaining, the cremated martyrs would be irretrievably lost, some of whose ashes were thrown into a river. But it is precisely the martyrs who are “told that they must rest a little while longer, until their fellow servants and brethren should come in full” (Revelation 6,11:20,4). In the resurrection of the righteous, those who are executed are given special prominence (Revelation XNUMX:XNUMX).

Even Abraham and Job called themselves dust and ashes (Genesis 1:18,27; Job 30,19:1). Therefore, ashes cannot be an obstacle for God to restore life. He formed Adam from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2,7:33,6.9). If in doubt, God would not even need dust. For “the heavens were made by the word of the LORD, and all their host by the breath of his mouth... For he spoke, and it came to pass; he commanded, and it stood.” (Psalm XNUMX:XNUMX)

Four criteria for a burial

If I now consider all the aspects mentioned, I notice four values ​​that can be used as a guide for a burial:

1. Simplicity instead of pomp
2. Thrift instead of wasting money
3. Message:
   . sleep of the dead instead of belief in souls
   . hope of resurrection instead of meaninglessness
   . Affirmation of the body instead of hostility to the body
4. Honesty (effect on posterity, relatives, especially children)

So how do you do justice to all four values? And does that perhaps correspond to squaring the circle today?

Burials today and among the Romans and Greeks

Today, the reason for cremation is usually, quite pragmatically, a financial one, in some countries it is also said to be the lack of space for graves. But of course atheists will also prefer cremation because the eight reasons given at the beginning are irrelevant to them anyway. Unfortunately, in our culture, a simple burial without high costs for gravestones, stone slabs or complex grave care plus long-term grave rent seems to be hardly possible.

In Roman times it was the other way around: cremation was the more complex and expensive form of burial, which was even unaffordable for the lower social classes. In ancient Greece, too, cremation was practiced by the wealthy.

Egyptian burial

The embalming of the dead was actually a ritual from the Egyptian god cult. She should prepare the pharaoh for the journey to the afterlife. Nevertheless, Jacob and Joseph were embalmed for many days to be preserved for shipment to Israel (Genesis 1). That may have been pragmatic, but it is also a great mark of honor in the Egyptian context. The Bible does not judge this. Ellen White writes of Jacob's request that he be buried in Israel: "In this way the last act of his life was to show his faith in God's promise." (Patriarchs and Prophets, 237) So the burial of these two men of faith sent a divine message in spite of that actually pagan ritual.

Focus on life instead of death!

Jesus brought a whole new perspective on the subject. He said: »Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead!« (Matthew 8,22:23,29) Or on another occasion: »Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites, because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorns monuments to the righteous.« (Matthew XNUMX:XNUMX) With this he takes away the central importance that some ascribe to it.

A very personal question of conscience

I think in the end everyone has to make personal arrangements with their God on how to conduct a burial when they come into a situation where they have to decide about the form of burial:

“For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the LORD, and if we die, we die to the LORD; whether we live or die, we belong to the LORD. For to this end Christ died and rose again and rose again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, what do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? We shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; for it is written, 'As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us no longer judge one another, but rather fix your minds that no stumbling block or stumbling block should stand in the way of a brother.« (Romans 14,7:13-XNUMX)

As peacemakers, we are also required not to start unnecessary arguments with others who may have a say in such a case.

“Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.« (Matthew 5,9:XNUMX)