Sep
29
2008
Christians And Cremation
As my colleague Paul Manuel pointed out a couple days ago, New City hosted my friend Mike Wittmer (professor of Systematic Theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary) for our annual men’s retreat. Mike spoke to our men about the creation, fall, redemption storyline of the Bible and how that impacts the way we think and live here and now. It was magnificently impactful. During the question and answer session, someone asked a question about cremation. The question went something like this: “Given the fact that upon Christ’s return God will reuinte our sinless souls with a sinless body, is it wrong to cremate your body when you die?” Mike’s answer was stellar. He said that it depends on why you choose to do it. If it’s because you think that your physical body is of no value to God, then the answer would be yes, it is wrong to cremate your body. But there are other reasons why it would be fine to do so.
I have another friend named Mike–Mike Walker. And even though I haven’t seen him since seminary, I noticed today that he wrote something a few weeks ago on his blog about cremation. He writes:
I think there are good “arguments” for and against the practice of cremation from a Christian perspective. I worry less about whether cremation poses any obstacles for God’s power to resurrect the dead, and more about how the practice can impact our attitude toward the physicality of life in the present.
Read the rest of Mike’s sound thoughts here.
4 Comments
Tullian:
Thank you again for inviting me down to your beautiful corner of God’s creation. My heart is full of fond memories of good conversation and terrific worship–I’ve been humming the refrain “On earth as it is in heaven” all day! I am so glad to have met kindred spirits in you and Brandon, Scott, Dylan, and Paul–and believe that I have met the next generation that has not bowed the knee to Baal. May God keep you faithful in his grace!
Mike, it was a privilege to be your host this weekend. You challenged and stimulated our people in a wonderfully transforming way. I thank God for you and the work that you’re doing. Keep it coming…you have a “home church” in sunny South Florida.
[...] Tchividjian, the senior pastor of New City Church in Southern Florida, posts some reflections from a recent men’s retreat the church had. Mike Wittmer, professor of Systematic Theology at [...]
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