Difference between revisions of "Cremation" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:crematorium.arp.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, [[England]]. A cremation service has just finished.]]
 
  
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'''Cremation''' is the practice of disposing of a [[corpse]] by [[combustion|burning]]. This often takes place in a '''crematorium''' or '''crematory'''. Cremation and [[burial]] are the main ways of [[Funeral#Final disposition of the dead|final disposition of the dead]].
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[[Image:crematorium.arp.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, [[England]].]]
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'''Cremation,''' or the practice of burning the [[death|dead]], refers to the disposal of a human [[corpse]] by [[burning]] in a '''crematorium''' furnace or '''crematory''' fire. Bodies of the deceased can also be burned in a crematorium pit or trench, or, on occasion, in the house in which they lived. Cremation practices are historically very ancient and widespread, and are the second most common way to dispose of the dead, after [[burial]]. Disposal of the cremated remains often shows the most variation; the most common practice both historically and contemporaneously is to house the ashes in a [[pottery]] vessel or decorative [[urn]]. The container can then be buried or put on display in the home of a loved one. Other practices may include the scattering of ashes over a body of water, or a plot of land. The disposal of cremated ashes often varies throughout different parts of the world.
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Cremation practices may be used for a variety of reasons. Some cultures may view [[fire]] as a purifying agent and see the practice of cremation as the most respectful way to dispose of the dead. Other societies may believe cremation to light the way into the [[afterlife]], or to prevent the [[spirit]] of the deceased from returning to the world of the living. More modern reasoning may include the shortage of land in urban areas.
  
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==Cremation process==
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==History==
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[[Image:Ubud Cremation 1.jpg|thumb|200 px|A [[Bali]]nese cremation ceremony.]]
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[[Image:cremation1.jpg|thumb|left|220px|The body is checked to make sure anything that may damage the oven has been removed.]]
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Historically, '''cremation''' was widely practiced throughout the ancient world as the most proper way to dispose of the dead. Early cremation practices placed the body in a log [[pyre]] over an open flame and waited until the corpse was consumed by [[fire]], eventually leaving only ashes. [[archaeology|Archaeologists]] have found the practice of cremation to be used by the [[Native Americans in the United States|indigenous peoples]] of the [[Pacific Northwest]], the Northern Athapascan people of [[Alaska]], and various cultural groups throughout [[Canada]]. The practice can be traced back to the early Greeks as early as 1000 B.C.E. who used it as a predominate means to dispose of the bodies of [[hero]]es and [[war]] dead. Among the [[Roman Empire|Romans]], cremation marked the disposal of the rich and largely became a status symbol throughout the civilization. [[Paganism|Pagan]] [[Scandinavia]]ns were also found to cremate their dead, as did ancient [[India]]n societies. Cremation in [[Hinduism]], notable for not only allowing but prescribing the practice, can be first attested in the [[Cemetery H culture]], from about 1900 B.C.E.
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===Cremation furnace===
 
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The place where the cremation takes place is called ''crematorium''. The crematorium consists of one or more ovens or furnaces and facilities for handling of the ashes. A cremation [[furnace]] (crematory) is a large furnace capable of reaching high temperatures up to approximately 1600-1800 °F (870-980 °C)  with special modifications to ensure the efficient disintegration of the corpse. One of these modifications is the aiming of the flames at the corpse's torso, where a majority of the corpse's mass rests.
 
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The crematorium may be part of [[chapel]] or a [[funeral home]], or it may be part of an independent facility or a service offered by a [[cemetery]].
 
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[[Image:cremation2.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The body burns in the retort.]]
 
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The furnaces use a number of different fuel sources, such as natural or propane gas.  Modern cremation furnaces include control systems that monitor the conditions inside the furnace while a cremation is taking place. The operator can make adjustments to provide for more efficient burning, as well as ensuring that minimal environmental pollution occurs.
 
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A cremation furnace is not designed to cremate more than one body at a time, and to do so is against the law in all 50 US states and many other nations.
 
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The chamber where the body is placed is called the ''retort''. It is lined with special bricks to help retain the heat. These bricks require replacement after about five years because of continual expansion and contraction due to temperature cycling.
 
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Modern cremators are computer-controlled with safety devices and interlocks to ensure legal and safe use, e.g., the door cannot be opened until the cremator has reached the correct operating temperature.  The coffin is injected into the retort as quickly as possible to avoid heat loss from the top-opening door.  The coffin may be on a motorised trolley that can inject the coffin at speed, or one that can tilt to tip the coffin down a slope into the cremator.
 
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Crematoriums will allow relatives to view the injection and sometimes this is done for religious reasons, e.g., Hindus. However, notwithstanding the respect with which the deceased is treated, this is fundamentally an industrial process and not recommended for the sensitive or faint-of-heart.
 
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Cremators are a standard size.  Large cities will have access to an oversize cremator that can handle deceased in the 200+ kg range.  However, the morbidly obese cannot be cremated and must be buried.
 
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===Body container===
 
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[[Image:cremation3.jpg|thumb|left|220px|The remains are then sifted through to make sure the fragments are small enough.]]
 
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A body to be cremated is first placed in a container for cremation, which can be a simple corrugated cardboard box or a wooden casket. Most casket manufacturers provide a line of caskets specially built for cremation. Another option is a cardboard box that fits inside a wooden shell designed to look like a traditional casket. After the funeral service the interior box is removed from the shell before cremation, permitting the shell to be reused.
 
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[[Funeral home]]s may also offer rental caskets, which are traditional caskets used only for the duration of the services, after which the body is transferred to another container for cremation. Rental caskets are sometimes designed with removable beds and liners, replaced after each use.
 
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In Australia, the deceased is cremated in a coffin supplied by the undertaker.  Reusable or cardboard coffins are unknown.  If cost is an issue, a plain, particle-board coffin known in the trade as a 'chippie' will be offered. Handles (if fitted) are plastic and approved for use in a cremator.  Coffins vary from unfinished particle board (covered with a velvet pall if there is a service) to solid timber. Most are veneered particle board.
 
  
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Cremations can be 'delivery only' with no preceding chapel service at the crematorium (although a church service may have been held) or preceded by a service in one of the crematorium chapels. Delivery-only allows crematoriums to schedule cremations to make best use of the cremators, perhaps by holding the body overnight in a refrigerator.  As a result a lower fee is applicable.  Delivery-only may be referred to by industry jargon such as 'west chapel service'.
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In some areas of [[Asia]], only the most praised members of a society were cremated, such as the [[Tibet]]an high [[lama]]s. Early [[Christianity]] vehemently opposed cremation in an attempt to abolish early pagan rituals; following 1000 C.E., the practice was widely abandoned throughout much of [[Europe]] except in extreme circumstances such as disposal of the victims of the [[Black Death]] [[plague]].  
  
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===Burning and ashes collection===
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The practice reemerged in the late nineteenth century due to the rise of large cities and the reform of public health practices. In [[Britain]], the cremation movement also found the support of [[Queen Victoria]]'s surgeon, Sir [[Henry Thompson]], who together with colleagues founded the [[Cremation Society of England]] in 1874. The first crematoria in Europe were built in 1878, in [[Woking]], England, and [[Gotha (town)|Gotha]], [[Germany]]; the first in North America was founded in 1876, by [[Francis Julius LeMoyne]] in [[Washington, Pennsylvania]].
  
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[[Image:cremation4.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Remains with large pieces are put into a machine, the 'cremulator', that grinds them down to ash.]]
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Some of the various [[Protestant]] churches came to accept cremation, with the rationale being, "God can resurrect a bowl of ashes just as conveniently as he can resurrect a bowl of dust." In 1963, [[Pope Paul VI]] lifted the ban on cremation,<ref name="kohmescher">Matthew F. Kohmescher, ''Catholicism Today: A Survey of Catholic Belief and Practice'' (Paulist Press, 1999), p. 178-179.</ref> and in 1966, allowed Catholic priests to [[officiate]] at cremation ceremonies.
  
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The box containing the body is placed in the retort and [[incinerated]] at a temperature of 760 to 1150 °C (1400 to 2100 °F). During the cremation process, a large part of the body (especially the organs) and other soft tissue is [[vaporized]] and oxidized due to the heat, and the gases are discharged through the exhaust system. The entire process usually takes about two hours.
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==Modern cremation processes==
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Today, modern cremation practices do not burn the corpse by flame but, instead, by intense heat that steadily diminishes the body to fine ash. Cremation occurs in a "crematorium" consisting of one or more cremator [[furnace]]s or cremation "retorts" for the ashes. A cremator is an industrial furnace capable of generating 870-980 °C (1600-1800 °F) to ensure disintegration of the corpse. A crematorium may be part of [[chapel]] or a [[funeral home]], or part of an independent facility or a service offered by a [[cemetery]].
  
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All that remains after cremation are dry bone fragments (mostly calcium phosphates and minor minerals). These representing roughly 3.5% of the body's original mass (2.5% in children, but these figures vary greatly due to body composition). Because the weight of dry bone fragments are so closely connected to skeletal mass, their weight varies greatly from person to person, with the mean weight in a Florida, U.S. sample being 5.3 lbs for adults (range 2 to 8 lbs). This is distributed bimodally, with the mean being 6 lbs for men (range 4 to 8 lbs) and 4 lbs for women (range 2 to 6 lbs). In this sample, generally all adult cremated remains over 6 pounds were from males, and those under 4 pounds were from females [PMID 9144931].
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Modern cremator fuels include [[natural gas]] and [[propane]]. However, [[coal]] and [[coke (fuel)|coke]] were used until the early 1960s. Modern cremators have adjustable control systems that monitor the furnace during cremation.
  
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Jewellery, such as wristwatches and rings, are ordinarly not removed. The only non-natural item ''required'' to be removed is a pacemaker.  The undertaker is required to sign a declaration to the operator that any pacemaker has been removed. A pacemaker could explode and damage the cremator.  The undertaker will remove a pacemaker prior to delivering the body to the crematorium.
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A cremation furnace is not designed to cremate more than one body at a time, which is illegal in many countries, including the United States. The chamber where the body is placed is called the ''retort'' and is lined with [[refractory]] [[brick]] that retains heat.  
  
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After the incineration is completed, the bone fragments are swept out of the retort, and the operator uses a pulverizer called a '''cremulator''' (also known informally as a '''crembola''') to process them into a consistent powder. The cremulator is essentially a rotating drum similar to a spindryer, except it is filled with steel ball bearings whose disturbance powders the weakened bones.
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Modern cremators are [[computer]] controlled to ensure legal and safe use; the door cannot be opened until the cremator has reached operating temperature. The [[coffin]] is inserted, or charged, into the retort as quickly as possible to avoid heat loss through the top-opening door. Some crematoria allow relatives to view the charging. This is sometimes done for religious reasons, such as in traditional Hindu funerals.  
  
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In [[Japanese Funeral|Japan]] and [[Taiwan]], the bones are not pulverized unless requested beforehand, and are collected by the family.
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===Containers===
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A body to be cremated is first placed in a container for cremation, which can be a simple corrugated cardboard box or a wooden [[coffin|casket]]. Most casket manufacturers provide a line of caskets specially built for cremation. Another option is a cardboard box that fits inside a wooden shell designed to look like a traditional casket. After the funeral service the interior box is removed from the shell before cremation, permitting the shell to be reused. [[Funeral home]]s may also offer rental caskets, which are traditional caskets used only for the duration of the services, after which the body is transferred to another container for cremation. Rental caskets are sometimes designed with removable beds and liners, replaced after each use.
  
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This is one of the reasons cremated remains are called ''ashes'' although a technical term sometimes used is "cremains". The ashes are placed in a container, which can be anything from a simple cardboard box to a fancy [[urn]]. An unavoidable consequence of cremation is that a tiny residue of bodily remains is left in the chamber after cremation and mixes with subsequent cremations.
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In the [[United Kingdom]], the body is not removed from the coffin, and is not placed into a container as described above. The body is cremated with the coffin, which is why all UK coffins that are to be used for cremation must be made of combustible material. The [[Code of Cremation Practice]] forbids the opening of the coffin once it has arrived at the crematorium, and rules stipulate that it must be cremated on the same day as the [[funeral]] service. [[Jewelry]] is strongly advised to be removed before the coffin is sealed, as the coffin cannot be opened once it has been received at the crematorium. After the cremation process has been completed, the remains are passed through a magnetic field to remove any metal, which will be interred elsewhere in the crematorium grounds.
  
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Not all that remains is bone.  There will be melted metal lumps from jewellery, casket furniture, and dental fillings, and surgical implants such as hip replacements. After grinding, these are sieved out and later interred in common, consecrated ground in a remote area of the cemetery.
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In [[Australia]], the deceased are cremated in a coffin supplied by the undertaker and any reusable or cardboard coffins cannot be used. If cost is an issue, a plain, particle-board coffin, known as a "chippie," will be offered. Handles, if fitted, are plastic and approved for use in a cremator. Coffins vary from unfinished particle board to solid timber, though most are veneered particle board.
  
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===The Pyre alternative===
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Cremations can be "delivery only," with no preceding chapel service at the crematorium, or preceded by a service in one of the crematorium chapels. Delivery-only allows crematoriums to schedule cremations to make best use of the cremators.
  
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An alternative method used in some cultures, such as [[Hinduism]], is burning the corpse on a [[pyre]]. A pyre is a pile of wood upon which the deceased's body is placed on top or inside of.  The mound is lit on fire, the fire consumes the wood and the deceased. This method is not commonly found in the western world where crematorium ovens are used, and is forbidden by law in some countries.
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===Incineration===
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The box containing the body is placed in the retort and incinerated at a temperature of 760 to 1150 °C (1400 to 2100 °F). During the cremation process, a large part of the body, including the organs and other soft tissue, are [[vapor]]ized and oxidized due to the heat, and the gases are discharged through the exhaust system. The entire process usually takes about two hours.
  
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==Ways of keeping or disposing of the cremated remains==
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[[Jewelry]], such as wristwatches and rings, is ordinarily removed and returned to the family. The only non-natural item ''required'' to be removed from the body is a [[pacemaker]], as a pacemaker could explode and damage the cremator. In the United Kingdom, the undertaker is required to remove pacemakers prior to delivering the body to the crematorium, and sign a declaration stating that any pacemaker has been removed.
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[[File:Kotsuage.JPG|thumb|250px|Bone-picking ceremony at a Japanese funeral]]
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After the incineration is completed, the bone fragments are swept out of the retort, and the operator uses a pulverizer, known as a cremulator to process the fragments into what are known as cremains which exhibit the appearance of grains of sand. Cremulators usually use some kind of rotating or grinding mechanism to powder the bones, such as the heavy metal bearings. In [[Japan]] and [[Taiwan]], the bones are not pulverized unless requested beforehand, and are collected by the family.
  
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[[Image:cremation5.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Cremated remains are boxed with a plastic liner for the family to do as they wish, or placed in an urn and sealed shut.]]
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An alternative method used in some cultures, such as [[Hinduism]], is burning the corpse on a [[pyre]]. A pyre is a pile of wood upon, or within, which the deceased body is placed. The mound is lit on fire; the fire consumes the wood and the deceased. This method is not commonly found in the western world, where crematorium furnaces are used, and is often forbidden by law.
  
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Cremated remains are returned to the next of kin in a rectangular plastic container, contained within a further cardboard box or velvet sack. An official certificate of cremation prepared under the authority of the crematorium accompanies the remains.
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===Collection===
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The remaining ashes are placed in a container, which can be anything from a simple cardboard box to a fancy [[urn]]. An unavoidable consequence of cremation is that a tiny residue of bodily remains is left in the chamber after cremation and mixes with subsequent cremations.
  
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Cremated remains can be kept in an urn, sprinkled on a special field or [[Burial at sea|in the sea]], or buried in the ground. In addition, there are several services which will scatter the cremated remains in a variety of ways and locations.  Some examples are via a helium balloon, through fireworks, shot from shotgun shells or scattered from a plane.  One service will send the remains into space and another will have them turned into a diamond in an artificial diamond manufacturing machine, as the ashes are mainly carbon based. They can also be incorporated, with urn and cement, into part of an artificial reef.  Cremated remains can be scattered in national parks in the US, with a special permit.  They can also be scattered on private property, with the owner's permission. A portion of the cremated remains may be retained in a specially designed locket known as a keepsake pendant. The final disposition depends on the personal wishes of the deceased as well as their religious beliefs.  Some religions will permit the cremated remains to be sprinkled or kept at home.  Some religions, such as Roman Catholicism, insist on either burying or entombing the remains.
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===Disposal===
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Cremated remains are returned to the next of kin in a rectangular plastic container, contained within a further cardboard box or velvet sack, or in an urn if the family has already purchased one. An official certificate of cremation prepared under the authority of the crematorium accompanies the remains and, if required by law, the permit for disposition of human remains, which must remain with the “cremains.”
  
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Hinduism obliges the closest male relative (son, father, husband, etc.) of the deceased to immerse the cremated remains in the holy river [[Ganges]], preferably at the holy city of [[Haridwar]], [[India]]. The cremated remains may also be entombed, in case the deceased was a well-known person.
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Cremated remains can be kept in an urn, sprinkled on a special field, mountain, in the sea, or buried in the ground. In addition, there are several services which will scatter the cremated remains in a variety of ways and locations. Some examples are via a helium balloon, through fireworks, shot from shotgun shells, or scattered from a plane. One service will send the remains into space and another will have them turned into a diamond in an artificial diamond manufacturing machine, as the ashes are mainly carbon based. They can also be incorporated, with urn and cement, into part of an artificial reef, or they can also be mixed into paint and made into a portrait of the deceased. Cremated remains can be scattered in national parks within the United States, with a special permit. They can also be scattered on private property, with the owner's permission. A portion of the cremated remains may be retained in a specially designed locket known as a keepsake pendant. The final disposition depends on the personal wishes of the deceased as well as their religious beliefs.
  
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In Japan and Taiwan, the remaining bone fragments are given to the family and are used in a burial ritual before final interment.
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Some religions will permit the cremated remains to be sprinkled or kept at home. Others, such as Roman Catholicism, insist on either burying or entombing the remains. Hinduism obliges the closest male relative of the deceased to immerse the cremated remains in the holy river [[Ganges]], preferably at the holy city of [[Haridwar]], [[India]]. The cremated remains may also be entombed, in case the deceased was a well-known person. In Japan and Taiwan, the remaining bone fragments are given to the family and are used in a burial ritual before final interment.
  
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==History==
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==Reasons for cremation==
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Cremation first appears in the [[Levant]] in the [[Neolithic]], but declines with [[Semitic]] settlement of the area in the 3rd millennium. Cremation was widely regarded as barbaric in the [[Ancient Near East]], to be used only by necessity in times of plague. The Babylonians, according to [[Herodotus]], embalmed their dead, and the [[Zoroastrian]] Persians punished capitally even attempted cremation, with special regulations for  the purification of fire so desecrated.
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[[Image:Helsinki-cemetery-mini-gravestones-1841.JPG|thumb|right|250 px|Cremation allows for very economical use of cemetery space]]
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Some individuals may prefer cremation for personal reasons. For others it is because they are not attracted to traditional [[burial]]; the thought of a long, slow decomposition process may be personally unappealing. Others may view cremation as a way of simplifying their [[funeral]] process. These people view a traditional burial as an unneeded complication of their funeral process, and thus choose cremation to make their services as simple as possible.
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[[Image:Oakland-columbarium-s.jpg|thumbnail|left|250px|Interior of a columbarium in Oakland, California. Some of the cinerary urns are book-shaped.]]
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Cost factors may also tend to make cremation more attractive. Generally speaking, cremation costs less than traditional burial services, especially if direct cremation is chosen, in which the body is cremated as soon as legally possible without any sort of service. However, there is wide variation in the cost of cremation services, having mainly to do with the amount of service desired by the deceased or the family. A cremation can take place after a full traditional funeral service, which may add cost. The type of container used may also influence cost.
  
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In Europe, there are traces of cremation dating to the Early [[Bronze Age]] (ca. 2000 B.C.E.) in the [[Pannonian Plain]] and along the middle [[Danube]]. The custom becomes dominant throughout Bronze Age Europe with the [[Urnfield culture]] (from ca. 1300 B.C.E.). In the [[Iron Age]], [[inhumation]] becomes again more common, but cremation persisted in the [[Villanovan culture]] and elsewhere. [[Homer]]'s account of [[Patroclus]]' burial describes cremation with subsequent burial in a [[tumulus]] similar to Urnfield burials, qualifying as the earliest description of cremation rites. Early cremation may have been connected to ideas of  [[fire sacrifice]], such as those to [[Taranis]] in [[Celtic paganism]] (see [[human sacrifice]]).  
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Cremated remains can be scattered or buried. Cremation plots or [[columbarium]] niches usually cost less than a burial plot or [[mausoleum]] crypt, and require less space. However, some religions, such as [[Roman Catholicism]], require the burial or entombment of cremated remains.
  
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[[Hinduism]] is notable for not only allowing but prescribing cremation. Cremation in India is first attested in the [[Cemetery H culture]] (from ca. 1900 B.C.E.), considered the formative stage of [[Vedic civilization]]. The [[Rigveda]] contains a reference to the emerging practice, in [[RV 10]].15.14, where the forefathers "both cremated (''agnidagdhá-'') and uncremated (''ánagnidagdha-'')" are invoked.
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==Environmental concerns==
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To some, cremation might be preferable for [[natural environment|environment]]al reasons. Burial is a known source of certain environmental contaminants. [[Embalming]] fluids, for example, are known to contaminate groundwater with [[Mercury (element)|mercury]], [[arsenic]], and [[formaldehyde]]. The [[coffin]]s themselves are another known source of contamination.
  
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Cremation was common, but not universal, in both [[Ancient Greece]] and [[Ancient Rome]]. In Rome, inhumation was considered the more archaic rite ([[Cicero]], ''De Leg.'', 2.22), and indeed the [[Cornelian]] gens, one of the most cultured in Rome, had, with the single exception of [[Sulla]], never permitted the burning of their dead. [[Christianity]] frowned upon cremation, both influenced by the tenets of Judaism, and in an attempt to abolish [[Graeco-Roman paganism|Graeco-Roman pagan]] rituals. By the 5th century, the practice of cremation had practically disappeared from Europe.
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Yet another environmental concern, of sorts, is that traditional burial takes up a great deal of space. In a traditional burial, the body is buried in a casket made from a variety of materials. In [[United States|America]], the casket is often placed inside a [[concrete]] vault or liner before burial in the ground. While individually this may not take much room, combined with other burials it can, over time, cause space concerns. Many [[cemetery|cemeteries]], particularly in [[Japan]] and [[Europe]] as well as those in larger cities, are beginning to run out of burial plots and space. In [[Tokyo]], for example, traditional burial plots are extremely scarce and expensive.
  
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The modern cremation movements began only in 1873, with the presentation of a cremation chamber by [[Padua]]n Professor Brunetti at the Vienna Exposition. In Britain, the movement found the support of  [[Queen Victoria]]'s surgeon, Sir [[Henry Thompson]], who together with colleagues founded the Cremation Society of England in 1874. The first crematories in Europe were built in 1878 in [[Woking]], England and [[Gotha]], Germany, the first in North America in 1876 by Julius LeMoyne in Washington, Pennsylvania.
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However, there exists a body of research that indicates cremation has a significant impact on the environment. Major emissions from crematories include [[nitrogen oxide]], [[carbon monoxide]], [[sulfur dioxide]], particulate matter, [[Mercury (element)|mercury]], [[hydrogen fluoride]], [[hydrogen chloride]], and other [[heavy metal]]s.<ref> Cremation Waste and Toxins</ref>
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Cremation was declared as legal in England and Wales when [[William Price (doctor)|Dr William Price]] was prosecuted for cremating his son; formal legislation followed later with the passing of the Cremation Act 1902[http://www.srgw.demon.co.uk/CremSoc3/StatutoryLaw/CAct1902.html], (this Act did not extend to Ireland) which imposed procedural requirements before a cremation could occur and restricted the practice to authorised places.  Some of the various Protestant churches came to accept cremation, with the rationale being, "God can resurrect a bowl of ashes just as conveniently as he can resurrect a bowl of dust".  The 1908 [[Catholic Encyclopedia]] was critical about these efforts, referring to them as "these sinister movements" and associating them with [[Freemasonry]]. In [[1963]], [[Pope Paul VI]] lifted the ban on cremation, and in [[1966]] allowed Catholic priests to [[officiate]] at cremation ceremonies.
 
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==Reasons for choosing cremation==
 
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People choose cremation for a variety of reasons, including religious reasons, other personal reasons, environmental reasons, and cost.
 
  
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==Religious views==
 
===Dharmic faiths===
 
===Dharmic faiths===
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[[Image:BangkokCrematorium.jpg|250px|thumb| A crematorium in [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]].]]
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While the [[Abrahamic religions]] prohibit cremation or prefer burial over cremation, the Eastern religions, known as the [[Dharmic faiths]] such as [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]] mandate the use of cremation. In these religions the body is seen as an instrument to carry the [[soul]] in that birth. As an example the ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'' quotes "Just as old clothes are cast off and new ones taken, the soul leaves the body after the death to take a new one." Hence, the dead body is not considered sacred since the soul has left the body. Hence, cremation is regarded as ethical by Eastern religions. In [[Sikhism]], burial is not prohibited, although cremation is the preferred option for cultural reasons rather than religious.
  
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[[Image:BangkokCrematorium.jpg|300px|thumb|Crematorium in [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]]]
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According to Hindu traditions, the reasons for preference of destroying the corpse by [[fire]] over burying it into ground, is to induce a feeling of detachment into the freshly-disembodied spirit, which will be helpful to encourage it into passing to "the other world."<ref>Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, ''Living With Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Culture'' (Himalayan Academy, 2001, ISBN 0945497989), p. 750.</ref> Cremation is referred to as ''antim-samskara,'' literally meaning "the last rites." At the time of the cremation or "last rites" a ''Puja,'' or Hindu prayer to assist the spirit to transcend into the [[afterlife]], is performed.
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While the [[Abrahamic religions]] prohibit cremation or prefer burial over cremation, the Eastern religions (i.e., [[Dharmic faiths]]) such as [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]] mandate the use of cremation. In [[Sikhism]], burial is not prohibited although cremation is the preferred option for cultural reasons rather than religious.
 
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===Christian===
 
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{{main|Cremation in the Christian World}}
 
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In [[Christianity|Christian]] countries, cremation fell out of favour. The [[Catholic]] [[Church]]'s discouragement of cremation stemmed from several ideas: first, that the body, as the instrument through which the [[sacrament]]s are received, is itself a sacramental, a [[holy]] object; second that as an integral part of the human person ([[St. Thomas Aquinas]], for instance, specifically rejected the notion that the human person is merely the [[soul]] "trapped" in a body) it should be disposed of in a way that honors and reverences it, and many early practices involved with disposal of dead bodies were viewed as [[pagan]] in origin or an insult to the body; third, that in imitation of [[Jesus]] [[Christ]]'s burial, the body of a Christian should be buried; and fourth, that because cremation was often seen as or used as a statement by certain groups denying the [[resurrection]], allowing it would confuse the faithful. The Church never forbade cremation because of any alleged belief that it interfered with God's ability to resurrect the body.
 
  
−
Cremation was, in fact, not forbidden in and of itself - even in [[Medieval Europe]] cremation was practised in situations where there were multitudes of corpses simultaneously present, such as after a [[battle]], after a [[pestilence]] or [[famine]], and where there was an imminent danger of diseases spreading from the corpses. However, earth burial or entombment remained the law unless there were circumstances that required cremation for the public good.
+
===Christian faith===
 +
The [[Catholic]] Church's early discouragement of cremation stemmed from several ideas. Firstly, the Church believes that the body, as the instrument through which the [[sacrament]]s are received, is itself a sacramental [[holy]] object.<ref name=CremationRC>Douglas J. Davies and Lewis H. Mates (eds.), "Cremation, Death and Roman Catholicism," ''Encyclopedia of Cremation'' (Ashgate Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0754637735). </ref> Secondly, a body acts as an integral part of the human person, and a [[soul]], all by itself, does not constitute a [[human being]]. Thirdly, in imitation of [[Jesus]] [[Christ]]'s burial, the Church believes a body of a Christian should be buried, and finally, that cremation practices constituted a denial of the resurrection of the body.<ref name=CremationRC/>
  
−
Beginning in the [[Middle Ages]], and even more so in the 18th Century and later, rationalists and classicists began to advocate cremation again as a statement denying the resurrection and/or the afterlife. The Catholic Church's rules against cremation became hardened in the face of this. These rules were softened in the [[1960s]]. The Catholic Church still officially prefers the traditional burial or entombment of the deceased, but cremation is now freely permitted as long as it is not done to express a refusal to believe in the resurrection of the body.[http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2301]  
+
Though the Catholic Church still officially prefers the traditional burial or entombment of the deceased,<ref name=CremationRC/> cremation is now freely permitted as long as it is not done to express a refusal to believe in the resurrection of the body.<ref>The Vatican, [http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm#2301 Article 2301 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.] Retrieved June 20, 2008.</ref>
  
−
Until [[1997]], Catholic liturgical regulations required that cremation take place after the funeral [[Mass]], so that, if possible, the body might be present for the Mass - the body was present as a symbol, and to receive the [[blessing]]s and be the subject of [[prayer]]s in which it is mentioned. Once the Mass itself was concluded, the body could be cremated and a second service could be held at the crematorium or cemetery where the ashes were to be interred just as for a body burial. The liturgical regulations now allow for a Mass with the container of ashes present, but permission of the local [[bishop]] is needed for this. The Church still specifies requirements for the reverent disposition of ashes, normally that the ashes are to be buried or entombed in an appropriate container, such as an urn (rather than scattered or preserved in the family home, although there are Catholics who do this anyway). Catholic cemeteries today regularly receive cremated remains and many have columbaria.
+
Until 1997, Catholic liturgical regulations required that cremation take place after the funeral [[Mass]], so that, if possible, the body might be present for the Mass to receive the [[blessing]]s and be the subject of [[prayer]]s in which it is mentioned. Once the Mass itself was concluded, the body could be cremated and a second service could be held at the crematorium or cemetery where the ashes were to be interred just as for a body burial.  
  
−
[[Protestant]] churches were much more welcoming of the use of cremation and at a much earlier date than the Catholic Church. The first crematoria in the Protestant countries were built in 1870s, and by 1910 [[Westminster Abbey]], one of the most famous [[Anglican]] churches, was requiring that remains be cremated for burial in the abbey's precincts. Scattering, or "strewing," is an acceptable practice in many Protestant denominations, and some churches have their own "garden of remembrance" on their grounds in which remains can be scattered.
+
[[Protestant]] churches were more welcoming of the use of cremation at an earlier date than the Catholic Church, though pro-cremation sentiment was not always unanimous among Protestants. The first crematoria in predominately Protestant countries were built in 1870s, and in 1908, the Dean and Chapter of [[Westminster Abbey]], one of the most famous [[Anglican]] churches, required that remains be cremated for burial in the abbey's precincts.<ref>Douglas J. Davies and Lewis H. Mates (eds.), "Westminster Abbey," ''Encyclopedia of Cremation'' (Ashgate Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0754637735).</ref> Scattering, or "strewing," is an acceptable practice in many Protestant denominations, and some churches have their own "garden of remembrance" on their grounds in which remains can be scattered. Other Christian groups also support cremation, including the [[Jehovah's Witnesses]].
  
−
On the other hand, some branches of Christianity still oppose cremation.  The [[Eastern Orthodox]] Churches, for instance, forbid cremation. Exceptions are made for circumstances where it may not be avoided (when civil authority demands it, or epidemics) or if it may be sought for good cause, but when a cremation is willfully chosen for no good cause by the one who is deceased, he or she is not permitted a funeral in the church and may also be permanently excluded from liturgical prayers for the departed. In Orthodoxy, cremation is a rejection of the [[dogma]] of the general resurrection, and as such is viewed harshly.
+
Some branches of Christianity continue to oppose cremation, most notably the [[Eastern Orthodox]] Church. Exceptions are made for circumstances where it may not be avoided, or if it may be sought for good cause, but when a cremation is willfully chosen without good cause by the one who is deceased, he or she is not permitted a funeral in the church and may also be permanently excluded from liturgical prayers for the departed. In Orthodoxy, cremation is a rejection of the [[dogma]] of the general resurrection, and as such is viewed harshly.<ref>www.3saints.com, On Cremation.</ref>
  
 
===Judaism===
 
===Judaism===
 +
[[Judaism]] has traditionally disapproved of cremation. However, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as the Jewish cemeteries in many European towns had become crowded and were running out of space, cremation became an approved means of corpse disposal amongst the [[Liberal Judaism|Liberal Jews]]. [[Reform Judaism]] still supports cremation, although burial remains the preferred option.<ref>Rabbi Walter Rothchild, [http://www.reformjudaism.org.uk/a-to-z-of-reform-judaism/?id=30 Cremation.] Retrieved May 5, 2015.</ref>
  
−
[[Judaism]] has traditionally disapproved of cremation, as it was the traditional means of disposing the dead in the neighbouring [[Bronze Age]] Pagan [[Semitic]] cultures, but also disapproved of preservation of the dead by means of embalming and mummifying, as the Egyptians did. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, as the Jewish cemeteries in many European towns had become crowded and were running out of space, cremation became an approved means of burial amongst the [[Liberal Judaism|Liberal Jews]].
+
[[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]] have maintained a stricter line on cremation, and disapprove of it as [[Halakha]], or Jewish law, forbids it. This halakhic concern is grounded in the upholding of bodily [[resurrection]] as a core belief of "mainstream" Judaism, as opposed to other ancient trends such as the [[Sadduccees]], who have denied it. Also, the memory of the [[Holocaust]], where millions of Jews were [[murder]]ed and their bodies disposed of by burning them either in crematoria or burning pits, has given cremation extremely negative connotations for Orthodox Jews.<ref>Tzvi Freeman, [http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=157089 What is the Jewish view of cremation?] Retrieved June 20, 2008.</ref>
−
 
 
−
The [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]] have maintained a stricter line on cremation, and disapprove of it as [[Halakha]] (Jewish law) forbids it, considering a soul of a cremated person will remain as a restless wanderer for eternity. Also, the memory of the [[Holocaust]], where millions of Jews were murdered and their bodies disposed by burning them either in crematoria or burning pits, has given cremation extremely negative connotations in the minds of Orthodox Jews, who often view it as blasphemy.
 
  
 
===Mormonism===
 
===Mormonism===
−
Since the organization of the Church in 1830, Latter-day Saints have been encouraged by their leaders to avoid cremation, unless it is required by law, and, wherever possible, to consign the body to burial in the earth and leave the dissolution of the body to nature, "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:19). President Spencer W. Kimball wrote, "The meaning of death has not changed. It releases a spirit for growth and development and places a body in…Mother Earth" (p. 45). In due time the mortal body returns to native element, and whether it is laid away in a family-selected site or buried in the depths of the sea, every essential part will be restored in the Resurrection: "Every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame" (Alma 40:23).
+
Since the organization of the Church in 1830, the [[Church of Latter-day Saints]] have been encouraged by their leaders to avoid cremation, unless it is required by law, and, wherever possible, to consign the body to [[burial]] in the earth and leave the dissolution of the body to nature. President [[Spencer W. Kimball]] wrote, "The meaning of death has not changed. It releases a spirit for growth and development and places a body in…Mother Earth" (p. 45). In due time the mortal body returns to native element, and whether it is laid away in a family-selected site or buried in the depths of the sea, every essential part will be restored in the Resurrection: "Every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame" (Alma 40:23).
  
−
To understand the LDS feeling about cremation, it is essential to understand the doctrine of the Church regarding the body. In a General Conference Elder James E. Talmage, an apostle, stated, "It is peculiar to the theology of the Latter-day Saints that we regard the body as an essential part of the soul. Read your dictionaries, the lexicons, and encyclopedias, and you will find that nowhere, outside of The Church of Jesus Christ, is the solemn and eternal truth taught that the soul of man is the body and the spirit combined" (CR, Oct. 1913, p. 117).
+
To understand the LDS feeling about cremation, it is essential to understand the doctrine of the Church regarding the body. In a General Conference Elder [[James E. Talmage]], an apostle, stated, "It is peculiar to the theology of the Latter-day Saints that we regard the body as an essential part of the soul. Read your dictionaries, the lexicons, and encyclopedias, and you will find that nowhere, outside of The Church of Jesus Christ, is the solemn and eternal truth taught that the soul of man is the body and the spirit combined" (CR, Oct. 1913, p. 117).
  
 
===Zoroastrianism===
 
===Zoroastrianism===
−
 
+
As a rule, the [[Parsi]]s strongly forbid cremation, as it defiles the [[fire]], symbol of all that is sacred. [[Burial]] is also disavowed, for similar reasons, and the traditional method of corpse disposal is the exposing of the bodies to [[vulture]]s in "Towers of silence." However, some contemporary figures of the faith have opted for cremation. The former [[Queen (band)|Queen]] lead singer, [[Freddie Mercury]], who was a Parsi-[[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]], was cremated after his death. In addition, [[Rajiv Gandhi]] received a well-publicized cremation with full [[Hindu]] Vedic rites, on a [[sandalwood]] [[pyre]], though he had a Parsi father.
−
The former [[Queen (band)|Queen]] lead singer, [[Freddie Mercury]], who was a [[Parsi]]-[[Zoroastrian]], was cremated after his death. In addition, [[Rajiv Gandhi]] received a well-publicized cremation on a [[sandalwood]] pyre, and he too was Parsi (though maternally of Hindu descent).
 
  
 
===Neopaganism===
 
===Neopaganism===
 +
According to [[Feminism|Feminist]] interpretations of the [[archaeological record]], cremation is the usual means of corpse disposal in [[patriarchy|Patriarchal]] religions, the rising smoke symbolizing the deceased's spirit ascending to the domain of the [[God the Father|Father deities]] in the heavens, while [[matriarchy|Matriarchal]] religions are speculated to have favored interment of the corpse, often in a fetal position, representing the return of the body to [[Mother Earth]] in the [[tomb]] which represents the [[uterus]]. Of modern [[Neo-Pagan]] religions, [[Ásatrú]] favors cremation, as do forms of [[Celt]]ic paganism.
  
−
According to [[Feminist]] interpretations of the archaeological record, cremation is the usual means of burial in [[patriarchy|Patriarchal]] religions, the rising smoke symbolizing the deceased's spirit ascending to the domain of the [[God the Father|Father deities]] in the heavens, while [[matriarchy|Matriarchal]] religions are speculated to have favoured interment of the corpse, often in a fetal position, representing the return of the body to [[Mother Earth]] in the tomb which represents the uterus. Of modern [[Neo-Pagan]] religions, [[Ásatrú]] favours cremation.
+
==Notes==
−
 
+
<references/>
−
===List of religions that permit cremation===
 
−
 
 
−
[[Ásatrú]], [[Buddhism]], [[Christianity]] (containing [[Baptist Church]], [[Calvinism]], [[Church of England]], [[Church of Ireland]], [[Church of Scotland]], [[Church in Wales]], [[Lutheranism]], [[Methodism]], [[Moravian Church]], [[Roman Catholicism]], [[Salvation Army]], [[Scottish Episcopal Church]]), [[Christian Science]], [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormon]]s) (permitted but not encouraged), [[Hare Krishna]] ([[ISKCON]]), [[Hinduism]] (mandatory except for [[sanyasi]]s, eunuchs and children under five), [[Jainism]], [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], [[Liberal Judaism]], [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]], [[Sikh]]s, [[Society of Friends]] (Quakers), [[Unitarian Universalism]]
 
−
 
 
−
===List of religions that forbid cremation===
 
−
 
 
−
[[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[Iglesia ni Cristo]], [[Islam]], [[Orthodox Judaism]], [[Southern Baptist Convention]], [[Zoroastrianism]]
 
−
 
 
−
*[[Neo-Confucianism]] under [[Zhu Xi]] strongly discourages cremation of one's parents' corpses as [[filial piety|unfilial]].
 
−
 
 
−
===Other personal reasons===
 
−
 
 
−
Some people find they prefer cremation for other reasons.  For some people it is because they are not attracted to traditional burial.  The thought of a long, slow decomposition process is unappealing to some, and they find that they prefer cremation for that reason.
 
−
 
 
−
Other people view cremation as a way of simplifying their funeral process.  These people view a traditional burial as an unneeded complication of their funeral process, and thus choose cremation to make their services as simple as possible.
 
−
 
 
−
===Environmental reasons===
 
−
 
 
−
Others prefer cremation for [[natural environment|environment]]al reasons. Some are concerned that during bodily decomposition body fluids and [[embalming]] chemicals could contaminate the [[Earth]].  Some locations have found that long-buried bodies are now causing [[groundwater]] [[contamination]] {{fact}}. [[Arsenic]], used as an [[embalming]] chemical in the 19th and early 20th centuries, has been known to cause serious pollution later on.
 
−
 
 
−
Another environmental concern is that traditional burial takes up a great deal of space.  In a traditional burial the body is buried in a casket made from a variety of materials. In [[United States of America|America]] the casket is often placed inside a [[concrete]] vault or liner before burial in the ground. While individually this may not take much room, combined with other burials it can over time cause serious space concerns. Many [[cemetery|cemeteries]], particularly in [[Europe]] and [[Japan]] as well as those in larger cities, are starting to run out of space.  In [[Tokyo]], for example, it is almost impossible to find a traditional funeral plot.
 
−
 
 
−
One item of concern has been that the exhaust systems of cremation ovens may contribute to [[air pollution]]. The emissions are of concentrated CO2 along with a number of other harmful chemicals. Testing has been done to improve the emissions by gathering information from different heat temperatures from the ovens. The higher the temperature, the more likely for a dangerous amount of harmful greenhouse gas to escape into the Earth's atmosphere. In response crematorium manufacturers have built computerized control systems that regulate the exhaust systems but are not proven to be adiquately safe. Additionally some crematoria remove all plastic handles and fittings from a coffin before cremation and these are disposed of separately for the same reason.
 
−
 
 
−
===Cost of cremation===
 
−
 
 
−
The cost factor tends to make cremation attractive. Generally speaking, cremation costs less than traditional burial services, especially if direct cremation is chosen, in which the body is cremated as soon as legally possible without any sort of services. However, there is wide variation in the cost of cremation services, having mainly to do with the amount of service desired by the deceased or the family. A cremation can take place after a full traditional funeral service, which adds cost. The type of container used also influences cost.
 
−
 
 
−
Cremation makes possible the scattering of remains over an area, eliminating the need for and expense of a burial space. However, some religions such as [[Roman Catholicism]] require burial or entombment of cremated remains, and while not required the church does prefer that cremation take place after the funeral Mass.  Burial or entombment also adds to the cost.  The price will depend on what the deceased and/or the family has chosen.  Cremated remains require far less space than a traditional burial or entombment and cremation plots or columbarium niches usually cost less than a burial plot or mausoleum crypt.
 
−
 
 
−
==Environmental Concerns with Cremation==
 
−
 
 
−
There is a growing body of research that indicates cremation has a significant impact on the environment:
 
−
 
 
−
The major emissions from crematories are: [[nitrogen oxides]], [[carbon monoxide]], [[sulfur dioxide]], particulate matter, [[Mercury (element)|mercury]], [[hydrogen fluoride]] (HF), [[hydrogen chloride]] (HCl), [[NMVOC]]s, and other [[heavy metals]], in addition to Persistent Organic Pollutants.
 
−
 
 
−
According to the [[United Nations]] Environment Programme report on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) Emission Inventory Guidebook, emissions from crematoria, although comparatively small on an international scale, are still [[statistically significant]]. The POP inventory indicates that crematoria contribute 0.2% of the global emission of [[dioxin]]s and [[furan]]s.
 
−
 
 
−
Persistent Organic Pollutants include [[Dioxin]]s and [[Furan]]s, [[PAH]]s, [[benzo(a)pyrene]], [[benzo(ghi)perylene]], [[Benzo(k)fluoranthene]], [[Fluoranthene]], [[Indendo(123-cd)pyrene]], [[Benzo(b)fluoranthene]], [[Benz(a)anthracene]],
 
−
[[Dibenz(ah)anthracene]], [[PCB]]s (Nos. 126, 169, 77, 118, 105, 123, 114, 156, 157,167, 189), [[Hexachlorobenzene]], [[Toxaphene]], [[Chlordane]], [[Aldrin]], [[DDT]], [[Mirex]], [[Dieldrin]], [[Endrin]], [[Hexabromobiphenyl]], [[Pentachlorophenol]], [[Heptachlor]], [[Chlordecone]], [[Chlorinated Paraffins|Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins]] (SCCP), [[Lindane]].
 
−
 
 
−
==Negative recent history experiences with cremation==
 
−
===World War II===
 
−
 
 
−
During the [[Holocaust]], massive crematoria were constructed and operated round-the-clock by the [[Nazis]] within their [[concentration camp]]s and [[extermination camp]]s to dispose of the bodies of thousands of [[Jew]]s, [[Roma (people)|Gypsies]], and other prisoners who were killed or died in the camps daily. In addition to the atrocity of [[mass murder]], the remains of Jews were thus disposed of in a manner deeply offensive to [[Orthodox Judaism]] because [[Halakha]], the Jewish law, forbids cremation and holds that the soul of a cremated person cannot find its final repose. Since then, cremation has carried an extremely negative connotation for many Jews. A similar attitude also remains prevalent in some countries which were occupied by Germans during [[World War II|WWII]], such as [[Poland]] and parts of [[Russia]].
 
−
 
 
−
===The Tri-State Crematory Incident===
 
−
 
 
−
A recent controversial event involved the ''failure'' to cremate, known as the [[Tri-State Crematory|Tri-State Crematory Incident]]. In the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] in the United States in early [[2002]], three hundred thirty-four corpses that were supposed to have been cremated in the previous few years at the Tri-State Crematory were found intact and decaying on the crematorium's grounds, having been dumped there by the crematorium's proprietor. Many of the corpses were beyond identification.  In many cases the "ashes" that were returned to the family were not human remains - they were made of wood and concrete dust.
 
−
 
 
−
Eventually Ray Brent Marsh - who was the operator at the time the bodies were discovered - had 787 criminal charges filed against him. On [[November 19]], [[2004]] Marsh pleaded guilty to all charges. Marsh was sentenced to two 12 year prison sentences from both Georgia and [[Tennessee (U.S. state)|Tennessee]] which he is serving concurrently. Afterwards he will be on probation for 75 years.
 
−
 
 
−
Civil suits were filed against the Marsh family as well as a number of funeral homes who shipped bodies to Tri-State.  These suits were ultimately settled.  The property of the Marsh family has been sold, but collection of the full $80 million judgment remains doubtful. Families have expressed the desire to return the former Tri-State crematory to a natural, park like setting.
 
−
 
 
−
===The Indian Ocean tsunamis===
 
−
 
 
−
The [[Moment magnitude scale|magnitude]] 9.0-9.3 <!-- NOT THE RICHTER SCALE! —> '''[[2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake]]''' triggered a series of lethal tsunamis on [[December 26]], [[2004]] that killed almost 300,000 people, making them the deadliest tsunamis in recorded history. The tsunamis killed people over an area ranging from the immediate vicinity of the quake in [[Indonesia]], [[Thailand]], and the north-western coast of [[Malaysia]], to thousands of kilometres away in [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]], the [[Maldives]], and even as far as [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in eastern [[Africa]].
 
−
 
 
−
Authorities had difficulties dealing with the large numbers of bodies, and as a result thousands of bodies were of necessity cremated together. Many of these bodies were not identified or viewed by relatives prior to cremation, which would have helped families better cope with their [[grief]]. A particular point of objection was that the bodies of Westerners were kept separate (officials understanding the dire long-term consequences for tourism if they were not identified and repatriated) from those of [[Asian]] descent, who were mostly locals. This meant that the bodies of tourists from other Asian nations, such as [[Japan]] and [[Korea]], were mass cremated rather than being returned to their country of origin for funeral rites. However, time was of the essence.  After one to two weeks of [[decomposition]] in the heat, the body of a deceased person becomes nearly impossible to identify; markers such as [[age]], [[race]] and even [[gender]] become difficult to discern.
 
−
 
 
−
==Sources==
 
−
<div class="references-small">
 
−
#EMEP/CORINAIR Atmospheric Emission Inventory Guidebook - 3rd edition October 2002 UPDATE - [http://reports.eea.eu.int/EMEPCORINAIR4/en/B991vs1.1.pdf Technical report #30] – Incineration of Human Bodies
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
 
−
==See also==
 
−
*[[Burial]]
 
−
*[[Burial in space]]
 
−
*[[Funeral]]
 
−
*[[Immolation]]
 
−
*[[List of fictional people who were cremated]]
 
−
*[[William Price (doctor)|Dr William Price]] the eccentric [[Wales|Welsh]] physician whose prosecution confirmed the legality of cremation in [[England and Wales]].
 
−
 
 
−
==External links==
 
−
{{Commons|Cremation}}
 
−
*[http://www.srgw.demon.co.uk/CremSoc/CremHomeAlt.html The Cremation Society of Great Britain]
 
−
*[http://www.cremation.com/ Cremation providers in the USA and Canada]
 
−
*[http://www.cremationassociation.org/ Cremation Association of North America]
 
−
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04481c.htm Cremation] ([[Catholic Encyclopedia]])
 
−
*[http://www.rosicrucian.com/zineen/death7.htm The Rosicrucian Method of Caring for the Dead], procedures supporting cremation only at 3 1/2 days (84 hours) after death
 
−
*[http://www.internationalscatteringsociety.com. International Scattering Society]
 
−
*[http://www.crematorium.eu crematorium.eu]crematory in Europe
 
−
*[http://www.wardsbookofdays.com/18january.htm The first legal cremation in Britain at Ward's Book of Days]
 
  
 +
==References==
 +
*Aiken, Lewis R. ''Dying, Death and Bereavement''. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. ISBN 0805835040
 +
*Carlson, Lisa. ''Caring for the Dead''. Upper Access Inc., 1997. ISBN 0942679210
 +
*Davies, Douglas J., and Lewis H. Mates (eds.). ''Encyclopedia of Cremation''. Ash gate Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0754637735
 +
*Green, Jennifer. ''Dealing With Death: Practices and Procedures''. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2006. ISBN 1843103818
 +
*Spongberg, Alison L. "Inorganic Soil Contamination from Cemetery Leachate." ''Water, Air & Soil Polution Journal'' Volume 117 (2000).
 +
*Sublette, Kathleen. ''Final Celebrations: A Guide for Personal and Family Funeral Planning''. Pathfinder Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0934793433
 +
*Warren, M. "The Anthropometry of Contemporary Commercial Cremation." ''Journal of Forensic Science'' Volume 42 (1997).
  
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{{Credits|Cremation|154362162|}}

Latest revision as of 00:19, 15 January 2023


The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England.

Cremation, or the practice of burning the dead, refers to the disposal of a human corpse by burning in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire. Bodies of the deceased can also be burned in a crematorium pit or trench, or, on occasion, in the house in which they lived. Cremation practices are historically very ancient and widespread, and are the second most common way to dispose of the dead, after burial. Disposal of the cremated remains often shows the most variation; the most common practice both historically and contemporaneously is to house the ashes in a pottery vessel or decorative urn. The container can then be buried or put on display in the home of a loved one. Other practices may include the scattering of ashes over a body of water, or a plot of land. The disposal of cremated ashes often varies throughout different parts of the world.

Cremation practices may be used for a variety of reasons. Some cultures may view fire as a purifying agent and see the practice of cremation as the most respectful way to dispose of the dead. Other societies may believe cremation to light the way into the afterlife, or to prevent the spirit of the deceased from returning to the world of the living. More modern reasoning may include the shortage of land in urban areas.

History

A Balinese cremation ceremony.

Historically, cremation was widely practiced throughout the ancient world as the most proper way to dispose of the dead. Early cremation practices placed the body in a log pyre over an open flame and waited until the corpse was consumed by fire, eventually leaving only ashes. Archaeologists have found the practice of cremation to be used by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, the Northern Athapascan people of Alaska, and various cultural groups throughout Canada. The practice can be traced back to the early Greeks as early as 1000 B.C.E. who used it as a predominate means to dispose of the bodies of heroes and war dead. Among the Romans, cremation marked the disposal of the rich and largely became a status symbol throughout the civilization. Pagan Scandinavians were also found to cremate their dead, as did ancient Indian societies. Cremation in Hinduism, notable for not only allowing but prescribing the practice, can be first attested in the Cemetery H culture, from about 1900 B.C.E.

In some areas of Asia, only the most praised members of a society were cremated, such as the Tibetan high lamas. Early Christianity vehemently opposed cremation in an attempt to abolish early pagan rituals; following 1000 C.E., the practice was widely abandoned throughout much of Europe except in extreme circumstances such as disposal of the victims of the Black Death plague.

The practice reemerged in the late nineteenth century due to the rise of large cities and the reform of public health practices. In Britain, the cremation movement also found the support of Queen Victoria's surgeon, Sir Henry Thompson, who together with colleagues founded the Cremation Society of England in 1874. The first crematoria in Europe were built in 1878, in Woking, England, and Gotha, Germany; the first in North America was founded in 1876, by Francis Julius LeMoyne in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Some of the various Protestant churches came to accept cremation, with the rationale being, "God can resurrect a bowl of ashes just as conveniently as he can resurrect a bowl of dust." In 1963, Pope Paul VI lifted the ban on cremation,[1] and in 1966, allowed Catholic priests to officiate at cremation ceremonies.

Modern cremation processes

Today, modern cremation practices do not burn the corpse by flame but, instead, by intense heat that steadily diminishes the body to fine ash. Cremation occurs in a "crematorium" consisting of one or more cremator furnaces or cremation "retorts" for the ashes. A cremator is an industrial furnace capable of generating 870-980 °C (1600-1800 °F) to ensure disintegration of the corpse. A crematorium may be part of chapel or a funeral home, or part of an independent facility or a service offered by a cemetery.

Modern cremator fuels include natural gas and propane. However, coal and coke were used until the early 1960s. Modern cremators have adjustable control systems that monitor the furnace during cremation.

A cremation furnace is not designed to cremate more than one body at a time, which is illegal in many countries, including the United States. The chamber where the body is placed is called the retort and is lined with refractory brick that retains heat.

Modern cremators are computer controlled to ensure legal and safe use; the door cannot be opened until the cremator has reached operating temperature. The coffin is inserted, or charged, into the retort as quickly as possible to avoid heat loss through the top-opening door. Some crematoria allow relatives to view the charging. This is sometimes done for religious reasons, such as in traditional Hindu funerals.

Containers

A body to be cremated is first placed in a container for cremation, which can be a simple corrugated cardboard box or a wooden casket. Most casket manufacturers provide a line of caskets specially built for cremation. Another option is a cardboard box that fits inside a wooden shell designed to look like a traditional casket. After the funeral service the interior box is removed from the shell before cremation, permitting the shell to be reused. Funeral homes may also offer rental caskets, which are traditional caskets used only for the duration of the services, after which the body is transferred to another container for cremation. Rental caskets are sometimes designed with removable beds and liners, replaced after each use.

In the United Kingdom, the body is not removed from the coffin, and is not placed into a container as described above. The body is cremated with the coffin, which is why all UK coffins that are to be used for cremation must be made of combustible material. The Code of Cremation Practice forbids the opening of the coffin once it has arrived at the crematorium, and rules stipulate that it must be cremated on the same day as the funeral service. Jewelry is strongly advised to be removed before the coffin is sealed, as the coffin cannot be opened once it has been received at the crematorium. After the cremation process has been completed, the remains are passed through a magnetic field to remove any metal, which will be interred elsewhere in the crematorium grounds.

In Australia, the deceased are cremated in a coffin supplied by the undertaker and any reusable or cardboard coffins cannot be used. If cost is an issue, a plain, particle-board coffin, known as a "chippie," will be offered. Handles, if fitted, are plastic and approved for use in a cremator. Coffins vary from unfinished particle board to solid timber, though most are veneered particle board.

Cremations can be "delivery only," with no preceding chapel service at the crematorium, or preceded by a service in one of the crematorium chapels. Delivery-only allows crematoriums to schedule cremations to make best use of the cremators.

Incineration

The box containing the body is placed in the retort and incinerated at a temperature of 760 to 1150 °C (1400 to 2100 °F). During the cremation process, a large part of the body, including the organs and other soft tissue, are vaporized and oxidized due to the heat, and the gases are discharged through the exhaust system. The entire process usually takes about two hours.

Jewelry, such as wristwatches and rings, is ordinarily removed and returned to the family. The only non-natural item required to be removed from the body is a pacemaker, as a pacemaker could explode and damage the cremator. In the United Kingdom, the undertaker is required to remove pacemakers prior to delivering the body to the crematorium, and sign a declaration stating that any pacemaker has been removed.

Bone-picking ceremony at a Japanese funeral

After the incineration is completed, the bone fragments are swept out of the retort, and the operator uses a pulverizer, known as a cremulator to process the fragments into what are known as cremains which exhibit the appearance of grains of sand. Cremulators usually use some kind of rotating or grinding mechanism to powder the bones, such as the heavy metal bearings. In Japan and Taiwan, the bones are not pulverized unless requested beforehand, and are collected by the family.

An alternative method used in some cultures, such as Hinduism, is burning the corpse on a pyre. A pyre is a pile of wood upon, or within, which the deceased body is placed. The mound is lit on fire; the fire consumes the wood and the deceased. This method is not commonly found in the western world, where crematorium furnaces are used, and is often forbidden by law.

Collection

The remaining ashes are placed in a container, which can be anything from a simple cardboard box to a fancy urn. An unavoidable consequence of cremation is that a tiny residue of bodily remains is left in the chamber after cremation and mixes with subsequent cremations.

Disposal

Cremated remains are returned to the next of kin in a rectangular plastic container, contained within a further cardboard box or velvet sack, or in an urn if the family has already purchased one. An official certificate of cremation prepared under the authority of the crematorium accompanies the remains and, if required by law, the permit for disposition of human remains, which must remain with the “cremains.”

Cremated remains can be kept in an urn, sprinkled on a special field, mountain, in the sea, or buried in the ground. In addition, there are several services which will scatter the cremated remains in a variety of ways and locations. Some examples are via a helium balloon, through fireworks, shot from shotgun shells, or scattered from a plane. One service will send the remains into space and another will have them turned into a diamond in an artificial diamond manufacturing machine, as the ashes are mainly carbon based. They can also be incorporated, with urn and cement, into part of an artificial reef, or they can also be mixed into paint and made into a portrait of the deceased. Cremated remains can be scattered in national parks within the United States, with a special permit. They can also be scattered on private property, with the owner's permission. A portion of the cremated remains may be retained in a specially designed locket known as a keepsake pendant. The final disposition depends on the personal wishes of the deceased as well as their religious beliefs.

Some religions will permit the cremated remains to be sprinkled or kept at home. Others, such as Roman Catholicism, insist on either burying or entombing the remains. Hinduism obliges the closest male relative of the deceased to immerse the cremated remains in the holy river Ganges, preferably at the holy city of Haridwar, India. The cremated remains may also be entombed, in case the deceased was a well-known person. In Japan and Taiwan, the remaining bone fragments are given to the family and are used in a burial ritual before final interment.

Reasons for cremation

Cremation allows for very economical use of cemetery space

Some individuals may prefer cremation for personal reasons. For others it is because they are not attracted to traditional burial; the thought of a long, slow decomposition process may be personally unappealing. Others may view cremation as a way of simplifying their funeral process. These people view a traditional burial as an unneeded complication of their funeral process, and thus choose cremation to make their services as simple as possible.

Interior of a columbarium in Oakland, California. Some of the cinerary urns are book-shaped.

Cost factors may also tend to make cremation more attractive. Generally speaking, cremation costs less than traditional burial services, especially if direct cremation is chosen, in which the body is cremated as soon as legally possible without any sort of service. However, there is wide variation in the cost of cremation services, having mainly to do with the amount of service desired by the deceased or the family. A cremation can take place after a full traditional funeral service, which may add cost. The type of container used may also influence cost.

Cremated remains can be scattered or buried. Cremation plots or columbarium niches usually cost less than a burial plot or mausoleum crypt, and require less space. However, some religions, such as Roman Catholicism, require the burial or entombment of cremated remains.

Environmental concerns

To some, cremation might be preferable for environmental reasons. Burial is a known source of certain environmental contaminants. Embalming fluids, for example, are known to contaminate groundwater with mercury, arsenic, and formaldehyde. The coffins themselves are another known source of contamination.

Yet another environmental concern, of sorts, is that traditional burial takes up a great deal of space. In a traditional burial, the body is buried in a casket made from a variety of materials. In America, the casket is often placed inside a concrete vault or liner before burial in the ground. While individually this may not take much room, combined with other burials it can, over time, cause space concerns. Many cemeteries, particularly in Japan and Europe as well as those in larger cities, are beginning to run out of burial plots and space. In Tokyo, for example, traditional burial plots are extremely scarce and expensive.

However, there exists a body of research that indicates cremation has a significant impact on the environment. Major emissions from crematories include nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, mercury, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, and other heavy metals.[2]

Religious views

Dharmic faiths

A crematorium in Bangkok, Thailand.

While the Abrahamic religions prohibit cremation or prefer burial over cremation, the Eastern religions, known as the Dharmic faiths such as Hinduism and Buddhism mandate the use of cremation. In these religions the body is seen as an instrument to carry the soul in that birth. As an example the Bhagavad Gita quotes "Just as old clothes are cast off and new ones taken, the soul leaves the body after the death to take a new one." Hence, the dead body is not considered sacred since the soul has left the body. Hence, cremation is regarded as ethical by Eastern religions. In Sikhism, burial is not prohibited, although cremation is the preferred option for cultural reasons rather than religious.

According to Hindu traditions, the reasons for preference of destroying the corpse by fire over burying it into ground, is to induce a feeling of detachment into the freshly-disembodied spirit, which will be helpful to encourage it into passing to "the other world."[3] Cremation is referred to as antim-samskara, literally meaning "the last rites." At the time of the cremation or "last rites" a Puja, or Hindu prayer to assist the spirit to transcend into the afterlife, is performed.

Christian faith

The Catholic Church's early discouragement of cremation stemmed from several ideas. Firstly, the Church believes that the body, as the instrument through which the sacraments are received, is itself a sacramental holy object.[4] Secondly, a body acts as an integral part of the human person, and a soul, all by itself, does not constitute a human being. Thirdly, in imitation of Jesus Christ's burial, the Church believes a body of a Christian should be buried, and finally, that cremation practices constituted a denial of the resurrection of the body.[4]

Though the Catholic Church still officially prefers the traditional burial or entombment of the deceased,[4] cremation is now freely permitted as long as it is not done to express a refusal to believe in the resurrection of the body.[5]

Until 1997, Catholic liturgical regulations required that cremation take place after the funeral Mass, so that, if possible, the body might be present for the Mass to receive the blessings and be the subject of prayers in which it is mentioned. Once the Mass itself was concluded, the body could be cremated and a second service could be held at the crematorium or cemetery where the ashes were to be interred just as for a body burial.

Protestant churches were more welcoming of the use of cremation at an earlier date than the Catholic Church, though pro-cremation sentiment was not always unanimous among Protestants. The first crematoria in predominately Protestant countries were built in 1870s, and in 1908, the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous Anglican churches, required that remains be cremated for burial in the abbey's precincts.[6] Scattering, or "strewing," is an acceptable practice in many Protestant denominations, and some churches have their own "garden of remembrance" on their grounds in which remains can be scattered. Other Christian groups also support cremation, including the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Some branches of Christianity continue to oppose cremation, most notably the Eastern Orthodox Church. Exceptions are made for circumstances where it may not be avoided, or if it may be sought for good cause, but when a cremation is willfully chosen without good cause by the one who is deceased, he or she is not permitted a funeral in the church and may also be permanently excluded from liturgical prayers for the departed. In Orthodoxy, cremation is a rejection of the dogma of the general resurrection, and as such is viewed harshly.[7]

Judaism

Judaism has traditionally disapproved of cremation. However, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as the Jewish cemeteries in many European towns had become crowded and were running out of space, cremation became an approved means of corpse disposal amongst the Liberal Jews. Reform Judaism still supports cremation, although burial remains the preferred option.[8]

Orthodox Jews have maintained a stricter line on cremation, and disapprove of it as Halakha, or Jewish law, forbids it. This halakhic concern is grounded in the upholding of bodily resurrection as a core belief of "mainstream" Judaism, as opposed to other ancient trends such as the Sadduccees, who have denied it. Also, the memory of the Holocaust, where millions of Jews were murdered and their bodies disposed of by burning them either in crematoria or burning pits, has given cremation extremely negative connotations for Orthodox Jews.[9]

Mormonism

Since the organization of the Church in 1830, the Church of Latter-day Saints have been encouraged by their leaders to avoid cremation, unless it is required by law, and, wherever possible, to consign the body to burial in the earth and leave the dissolution of the body to nature. President Spencer W. Kimball wrote, "The meaning of death has not changed. It releases a spirit for growth and development and places a body in…Mother Earth" (p. 45). In due time the mortal body returns to native element, and whether it is laid away in a family-selected site or buried in the depths of the sea, every essential part will be restored in the Resurrection: "Every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame" (Alma 40:23).

To understand the LDS feeling about cremation, it is essential to understand the doctrine of the Church regarding the body. In a General Conference Elder James E. Talmage, an apostle, stated, "It is peculiar to the theology of the Latter-day Saints that we regard the body as an essential part of the soul. Read your dictionaries, the lexicons, and encyclopedias, and you will find that nowhere, outside of The Church of Jesus Christ, is the solemn and eternal truth taught that the soul of man is the body and the spirit combined" (CR, Oct. 1913, p. 117).

Zoroastrianism

As a rule, the Parsis strongly forbid cremation, as it defiles the fire, symbol of all that is sacred. Burial is also disavowed, for similar reasons, and the traditional method of corpse disposal is the exposing of the bodies to vultures in "Towers of silence." However, some contemporary figures of the faith have opted for cremation. The former Queen lead singer, Freddie Mercury, who was a Parsi-Zoroastrian, was cremated after his death. In addition, Rajiv Gandhi received a well-publicized cremation with full Hindu Vedic rites, on a sandalwood pyre, though he had a Parsi father.

Neopaganism

According to Feminist interpretations of the archaeological record, cremation is the usual means of corpse disposal in Patriarchal religions, the rising smoke symbolizing the deceased's spirit ascending to the domain of the Father deities in the heavens, while Matriarchal religions are speculated to have favored interment of the corpse, often in a fetal position, representing the return of the body to Mother Earth in the tomb which represents the uterus. Of modern Neo-Pagan religions, Ásatrú favors cremation, as do forms of Celtic paganism.

Notes

  1. ↑ Matthew F. Kohmescher, Catholicism Today: A Survey of Catholic Belief and Practice (Paulist Press, 1999), p. 178-179.
  2. ↑ Cremation Waste and Toxins
  3. ↑ Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Living With Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Culture (Himalayan Academy, 2001, ISBN 0945497989), p. 750.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Douglas J. Davies and Lewis H. Mates (eds.), "Cremation, Death and Roman Catholicism," Encyclopedia of Cremation (Ashgate Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0754637735).
  5. ↑ The Vatican, Article 2301 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  6. ↑ Douglas J. Davies and Lewis H. Mates (eds.), "Westminster Abbey," Encyclopedia of Cremation (Ashgate Publishing, 2005, ISBN 0754637735).
  7. ↑ www.3saints.com, On Cremation.
  8. ↑ Rabbi Walter Rothchild, Cremation. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  9. ↑ Tzvi Freeman, What is the Jewish view of cremation? Retrieved June 20, 2008.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Aiken, Lewis R. Dying, Death and Bereavement. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. ISBN 0805835040
  • Carlson, Lisa. Caring for the Dead. Upper Access Inc., 1997. ISBN 0942679210
  • Davies, Douglas J., and Lewis H. Mates (eds.). Encyclopedia of Cremation. Ash gate Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0754637735
  • Green, Jennifer. Dealing With Death: Practices and Procedures. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2006. ISBN 1843103818
  • Spongberg, Alison L. "Inorganic Soil Contamination from Cemetery Leachate." Water, Air & Soil Polution Journal Volume 117 (2000).
  • Sublette, Kathleen. Final Celebrations: A Guide for Personal and Family Funeral Planning. Pathfinder Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0934793433
  • Warren, M. "The Anthropometry of Contemporary Commercial Cremation." Journal of Forensic Science Volume 42 (1997).
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