Eternal Rest: The Art of Dying Well
How Does Cremation Relate to the Resurrection of the Body?
Episode 7
•
3m 34s
Cremation is permissible, but the Church does not recommend it because it does not bear full witness to the resurrection of the body as traditional earth burial does.
Whereas Platonists and other ideologies believe that only the soul can join God in Heaven, Catholics believe in the resurrection of both soul and body on the last day.
At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church began to permit cremation, but traditional burial remains the strong preference because it bears a greater and more full witness to the dignity of the body. If we believe that Christ will resurrect our bodies when he comes again, it follows that we must appreciate and care for them in life and in death.
“The hope that we have of resurrection is preserved in the act of burial.”
Up Next in Supplemental Videos
-
Should I Let My Child Attend a Funeral?
By bringing our children to funerals, we invite them into the reality and mystery of death. This experience helps them develop empathy and compassion for others.
In our culture today, we often push death aside and pretend it doesn’t exist. We may think it would be better to hide children from pa...
-
Why Is the End of Life a Time to be C...
The end of life is a privileged time: we can experience healing in our relationships as we make amends with God, family, and friends and prepare for the last step of our journey to eternity.
For many individuals and families, the end of life can be a challenging time filled with the unknown. How...
-
What is the Difference Between Pallia...
Palliative care is comfort care that can be implemented with or without an end goal of being cured. Hospice is concerned with keeping patients comfortable after they decide to cease aggressive, curative treatment.
Although many people—even medical professionals—may use the terms interchangeably,...
7 Comments