Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In the 1960s, less than 4% of bodies were cremated. Now, it is about 2 out of 3 and by 2040, it is expected to be around 80%. Much of that is driven by the rising cost of funerals, since the burial plot is expensive and you can send a significant amount of money on a nice casket. On average, a cremation probably costs half of the cost of a burial. Another thing that seems to drive it is that the church typically doesn't explain why burial matters and why cremation is wrong. While many people do not think deeply about it, cremation has always existed and from a Christian perspective has been viewed as a picture of the body going to hell while burial is the picture of the body waiting for the resurrection.
In this episode, we look at what scripture has to say about cremation and burial. We look to the Old Testament which contains the laws that detail dealing with the dead and where most of the narrative surrounding death and burial is written. We also look to church history and see how as Christianity spread, so too did the idea of burying the dead rather than burning them. We talk about how death and our handling of it is a significant testimony to the world about our faith and when done properly is something that the world cannot fully understand.
So here’s the question: If we are going to be resurrected anyway, does it matter how the body is treated? Or does our handling of death and burial testify to our faith?
Conference mentioned in the episode:
warhornmedia.com/conferences/last-enemy
Listen to the audio version here: theconqueringtruth.com/2025/03/is-cremation-a-sin-ep-208-audio
Timecodes
00:00:00 Does it Matter
00:05:30 The Symbolism
00:06:53 What God's Law Says
00:14:26 Biblical Examples
00:19:35 Expensive Burials
00:27:03 More Biblical Examples
00:37:23 Graveyards
00:43:37 Even More Biblical Examples
01:00:34 How to Change the Culture
01:05:32 Can You Cremate Your Parents?
Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Permanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director - Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
In the 1960s, less than 4% of bodies were cremated. Now, it is about 2 out of 3 and by 2040, it is expected to be around 80%. Much of that is driven by the rising cost of funerals, since the burial plot is expensive and you can send a significant amount of money on a nice casket. On average, a cremation probably costs half of the cost of a burial. Another thing that seems to drive it is that the church typically doesn't explain why burial matters and why cremation is wrong. While many people do not think deeply about it, cremation has always existed and from a Christian perspective has been viewed as a picture of the body going to hell while burial is the picture of the body waiting for the resurrection.
In this episode, we look at what scripture has to say about cremation and burial. We look to the Old Testament which contains the laws that detail dealing with the dead and where most of the narrative surrounding death and burial is written. We also look to church history and see how as Christianity spread, so too did the idea of burying the dead rather than burning them. We talk about how death and our handling of it is a significant testimony to the world about our faith and when done properly is something that the world cannot fully understand.
So here’s the question: If we are going to be resurrected anyway, does it matter how the body is treated? Or does our handling of death and burial testify to our faith?
Conference mentioned in the episode:
warhornmedia.com/conferences/last-enemy
Listen to the audio version here: theconqueringtruth.com/2025/03/is-cremation-a-sin-ep-208-audio
Timecodes
00:00:00 Does it Matter
00:05:30 The Symbolism
00:06:53 What God's Law Says
00:14:26 Biblical Examples
00:19:35 Expensive Burials
00:27:03 More Biblical Examples
00:37:23 Graveyards
00:43:37 Even More Biblical Examples
01:00:34 How to Change the Culture
01:05:32 Can You Cremate Your Parents?
Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Permanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director - Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
