Posted on 01/17/2010 4:53:24 PM PST by Lee N. Field
I've concluded that the typical evangelical funeral can go quite a ways to making a person an atheist. I've also concluded that the church needs to reclaim the fundamental truth that Christianity is primarily for dying. Not primarily for living, but for dying; and because it is primarily about preparing to die, it has something profound to offer about living. Funerals need to rediscover death and thus once again have something to say to the living.
Before looking at the causes of the death of the funeral, a true confession about a funeral--oops, sorry, a celebration of life--I recently attended. (I am just getting out of theological therapy from the experience.)
My rescue came from the Christian funeral and burial of my mother, who died on Epiphany. All I can say is thanks be to God for a Christ-centered burial liturgy, for a graveside service providing the godly focus on the death of death, and for a faithful pastor bringing Jesus in his forgiving and saving office to all present.
"Bob" was a prominent evangelical businessman. He surfed.......
.....
The regaining of Christ-centered funerals will be true evangelical medicine to a culture that can't help but be entertainment oriented even when supposedly committing the dead to dust. I for one am ready to bury the modern fun-eral and instead to die confidently in Christ, absolved of all my manifold daily sins, and saved solely by the fully imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. That truth comforts me in dying--and so in living.
(Excerpt) Read more at modernreformation.org ...
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A very good read.
My Mom's funeral, two years and a few weeks ago, had something of this nature about it. We weren't real focused on getting that right, at the time.
Death comes to all in this era, bereavement to most. When I go, I don't want a "celebration of life". I want a funeral. I want someone speaking who will get death right, and get the resurrection right.
There are groups that've maintained this custom through the centuries ~
Although I disagree with it to a degree (since it's pretty usually safe to mark graves these days), I do support the idea that goes along with it that minimal presence of clergy is highly desirable ~ families should be prepared to take care of their own.
That's something a lot of folks are re-learning today in Haiti.
I don’t care if its a good read if he has already turned me off and offended me in the first few lines.
Just keep the zombies at bay.
WTHeck?
“I’ve also concluded that the church needs to reclaim the fundamental truth that Christianity is primarily for dying.”
Sorry, but Jesus came to save us NOW and THEN. Christianity is not primarily for the dying!
OK, read the article.
“Happy Pastor told us to pray and tell Bob goodbye because Bob was watching his own celebration “right now.””
Thank God, literally, that people in Heaven cannot see what is happening on earth!!
This writer wrote what I have been thinking for a long time: our culture has denied the reality of death so that we can pretend to live in heaven on earth. Two generations ago, people died at home, were laid out at home, and taken to the graveyard by friends and relatives. Now, grandma disappears into the nursing home, then to the hospital, and finally is briefly seen, all made up in her Sunday best, sleeping through the funeral. She looks like she could sit up and start talking. The last time most relatives saw her was when she went into the nursing home.
I think this is why most modern ministers never mention sin and repentance; never mention the devil and the afterlife. Like liberals, they want a life without consequences.
Love and good works are important, but Christ came to earth to defeat sin and death. To do this, He paid the price. He was physically beaten, crucified, and buried in a borrowed tomb. Only Christ could physically come back to life after three days.
To deny the reality of death is to trivialize life.
OK, read the ENTIRE article, and it is a good read. Especially the end where the author talks about steps to take to make your funeral a funeral and not a fun-eral.
I already have my plans written down. What I want to wear, type of casket, music I want played, etc. And that my funeral will be a call to follow Jesus.
I intend to be cremated and I don’t want any service at all. I’ll be with the Lord and we’ll both be very, very happy. I don’t think it’s right to admonish the grieving.
I agree with the author. Modern “celebrations of life” are merely another example of the culture of WorshipTainment®, which I loathe.
I am going to have a traditional Catholic funeral mass and burial, thank God. And only one song will be played at my wake: the 1969 version of “Oh Happy Day” by the Edward Hawkins Singers, with Dorothy Combs Morrison on the lead vocal.
Good article. I haven’t read the entire issue yet.
Is there some kind of biblical precedent for the way we have a funeral? The only Bible verse that comes to my mind is where Jesus said to let the dead bury the dead and to follow him. Seems Jesus wasn't too big on ceremonial send offs.
This article seems to suggest that there is a "proper" Reformed Funeral. I would think that any Reformation send off would have a biblical example. You got one? ... You know, besides the one where Jesus blows off the guy who wanted to properly bury his parents???
When I “shuffle off this mortal coil” I want the last words from the last person in the receiving line to be, “Look everyone, He’s breathing!”
This article seems to suggest that there is a "proper" Reformed Funeral.
The author's a Lutheran.
Interesting question. I honestly don't know. The 2 editions of the CRC's Psalter Hymnal I have here (1959 and 1987) have liturgical forms, but not for funerals. Probably because funerals are not a regular stated service of worship. PCUSA practice (all but two of those I have participated in) is not indicative of much of anything. < sarc>And it is well known that the dead in Calvin's Theocratic People's Republic of Geneva were buried in unmarked trenches by bulldozer.< /sarc>
The only Bible verse that comes to my mind is where Jesus said to let the dead bury the dead and to follow him. Seems Jesus wasn't too big on ceremonial send offs.
Does it mean here that the guy wanted to pick up the way of Rabbi Jesus at some undetermined time in his future, not now?
Jesus showed up a Lazarus' funeral, deliberately late. Ananias and Saphira? No, that doesn't work.
That's my plan, too. Then, after a Suitable Interval, my daughter will throw a Humongous Memorial Bash, with open bar, unlimited seafood, and belly dancers. The money is reserved in my Will.
I was pretty disgusted when I had to help my mother in law plan her husband’s traditional catholic funeral. The lunacy of the Catholic liturgical calendar forced this priest to do a service that had absolutely nothing at all to do with a funeral. Not to mention that even though my FIL was a regular member of the church, this guy didn’t even know him.
When I go, people I know will handle my service. I’m certain that there will be an evangelical bent to it. Then, as my will dictates, my ashes are to be spread along US-2 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from a Porsche doing at least 110mph.
I was pretty disgusted when I had to help my mother in law plan her husband’s traditional catholic funeral. The lunacy of the Catholic liturgical calendar forced this priest to do a service that had absolutely nothing at all to do with a funeral. Not to mention that even though my FIL was a regular member of the church, this guy didn’t even know him.
wow, you have to be a real “upper” at the funeral You don’t understand Catholocism so you assume it has no meaning.....Wrong, it is 2,000 years old and we know what we are doing. I believe your asinine wishes to have your ashes spread in Michigan, from your Porsche, are illegal. I am a regular member of my congregation and the priests know me by my first name (maybe I donate more that your FIL....) who knows....You seem to be a very negative person. Maybe if you would learn more about Catholocism, you would have more hope for your own redemption than you seem to have. I feel sorry for your attitude about death, it seems very empty....very empty.
Sorry, you’re wrong. Raised catholic, ten years catholic school. My redemption became complete with Christs death on the cross, once for all and my acceptance of that. And yea, I had the talk with the priest in high school and he concluded that he could not refute me.
I will concede that I do not agree with catholicism, but it’s not from ignorance but from experience. My MIL, who is die-hard catholic was also very disgusted by the event.
I don’t care if the Porsche is illegal, I’ll be dead.
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