Source 2

Extract from a paper entitled 'The Roman Catholic Attitude to Cremation' by Rev. Fr. Donald W H Dorsett published in Pharos, 1962.

Click on image to enlarge.

Your task is to discover why cremation took so long to become an acceptable practice in this country. This source might give you some ideas. Once you have read the source, try answering the questions below. You can use the worksheet to record your thoughts.

Things to consider...

(a) Make a list of all the reasons mentioned in the extract why cremation is considered to be unacceptable.

(b) This article was written a year before the Pope lifted a ban on Roman Catholics from being cremated. Do you think this has any impact on what the article is saying?

(c) What does this author think about life or death? How does it fit in with 21st century Christian beliefs?

(d) Does this source tell you anything about why cremation took so long to be considered acceptable? If so, what.