Source 4 transcript

Source 4a: Extract from an article entitled 'Cremation and Religion' by Sheba Hargreaves, published in Pharos,

The Roman Catholic Church has opposed cremation since Charlemagne issued his decress somewhere about the year 800. But many Catholic families cremate the bodies of their loved ones when the deceased had expressed preference for this method. Some literalists who believe in the resurrection if the physical body are against cremation. They argue that it might throw obstacles in God's way when collecting the particles of the body; but, viewed dispassionately, this is rather an audacious limitation of an omnipotent God. The fact that the raising of the body would be a miracle and that the atoms are just as widely dispersed in earth burial as by cremation has been completely overlooked.

Source 4b: Extract from a leaflet written by Rt Rev Bishop Heywood entitled 'Why I support Cremation', 1949.

No bearing on the Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the body is involved in cremation. The popular idea of the resurrection of the body is that the body is placed in the grave, and at the last day, perhaps ten millions years hence, it comes up from the grave and is revivified. This is expressly contradicted in Corinthians, where St Paul gives a very clear and reasonable account of the resurrection of the body. No one need have any qualms about any bearing the practice of cremation may have on the resurrection of the body.

Simplified version

Source 4a: Extract from an article entitled 'Cremation and Religion' by Sheba Hargreaves, published in Pharos,

The Roman Catholic Church has opposed cremation since c800 when the Emperor Charlemagne issued a law. But some Catholic families cremate the bodies of their loved ones if this is what the deceased person had wanted. Some people who believe in the real resurrection of the body are against cremation. They argue that it might make God's job of collecting all the atoms of the body more difficult. But this view places restrictions on the idea of an all-powerful God. The fact that the raising of a body would be a miracle and that the atoms of the body are just as widely spread if the body has been buried rather than cremated are completely ignored.

Source 4b: Extract from a leaflet written by Rt Rev Bishop Heywood entitled 'Why I support Cremation', 1949.

Cremation does not have any impact on the Christian belief in the resurrection of the body. Many people believe that resurrection means that the body will be raised from the grave on the Last Day, probably in ten million years time, and brought back to life. This idea is clearly rejected in Corinthians by St Paul who explains what resurrection means. No one should worry about the impact that cremation will have on the resurrection of the body.

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