A Study of Cremation
The ways in which various religions approach the disposal of the human body after death vary quite significantly. Dimond (2004) explored this issue and commented that the two primary practices of the disposal and preparation of the body are burial and cremation. It is the purpose of this research study to first, review the literature on the topic of cremation, a form of body disposal within funeral rituals of many different religious groups that has gained wider acceptance worldwide except among members of the Jewish faith, who regard cremation as a forbidden practice (Fisher, 1999). Next, following the review of literature, a series of interviews will be described. The interviews were conducted by the researcher and were based on the interview sheet attached as Appendix A. Several different religious leaders participated, including a Jewish rabbi, a Roman Catholic priest, a Presbyterian minister, and a Hindu guru.
According to George (20020, the ancient world knew four methods of disposing of the bodies of the dead. The ancient Greeks and Romans preferred cremation and believed that the immortality of the soul was not endangered by the burning of a corpse. Hindus, who believe in reincarnation, have traditionally practiced cremation. At the other end of the spectrum were the Egyptians who mummified their dead to preserve the corpse indefinitely. As George (2002) states, the emergence of Christianity reintroduced the practice of burying a corpse in cometeria or cemeteries. The term literally means "sleeping places," reflecting the Christian faith's belief in the potential of a future resurrection of the body.
In India, where the Hindu religion is prominent, Bekar (2002) pointed out that cremation is an integral part of funerary practices. Funeral pyres, often located along the banks of the Holy Ganges, are used for this purpose. Funeral rituals include dipping the ...