On one of the Facebook groups, someone posted the following quotation from one of Lewis’ letters, a rare insight into some of the religious disagreements he had with his Catholic friends:
At our Thursday meeting we had a furious argument about cremation. I had never realised the violence of the Papist dislike of the practice, which they forbid. Neither Tolkien nor Havard, to my mind, produced a real argument against it, but only said ‘you’d find in fact’ that it was always supported by atheists; and that a human corpse was the temple of the Holy Ghost. I said ‘but a vacated temple’ and said it [would] be reasonable to blow up a Church to prevent it being defiled by Communists. They denied this, and said if you destroyed a chalice to prevent it being used for Black Mass you [would] be mortally guilty: for it was your business to reverence it and what the magicians did to it afterwards was theirs. I was surprised at the degree of passion the subject awoke in us all.
Letter to his brother, Feb 25, 1940
While Lewis was surprised at the degree of passion this subject awoke among his friends, I have to admit I was quite surprised by some of the responses I saw in the Facebook group. Quite a few of these threads have now been deleted, but here are a few quick thoughts in response to those conversations…
Point #1: Not beyond God’s power
Many people on the thread didn’t read Tolkien’s argument carefully. At no point does Tolkien even hint that a cremated body is too difficult for God to resurrect – he’s the omnipotent creator of the universe, after all.
Point #2: Biblical worldview
Some people claimed that since there was no biblical mandate against cremation, it must be perfectly fine. I think this is a problematic strategy to take with the Bible, since there are many things which the Bible doesn’t explicitly forbid.
However, it is worth considering the positive example of how the Jews at the time of Christ cared for their dead:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.
Mark 16:1
Point #3: Pagan associations
Following on from this, in antiquity, Christians and Jews buried their dead, while Pagans typically burnt theirs. This was because of a fundamental difference in understanding of the body. The Pagans were usually dualists, regarding the soul as a prisoner in the body which is liberated by death.
The Pagan view is not the Christian conception of the body. The body is “good”, made by God and in some respect bears His image. The Son Himself honoured the body by joining His Divine Nature to flesh and, like His body, ours bodies will (one day) be raised again.
Point #4: Catholic Teaching
The prohibition against cremation is a Catholic teaching. If one does not accept that claims of the Catholic Church, one will probably not accept her teaching on this matter either.
However, it’s worth noting that Catholic teaching on this subject has changed in recent years. I have had several Catholic relatives who have been cremated. A Catholic may be cremated, as long as this act isn’t seen as a denial of the Resurrection and as long as the ashes are appropriately stored afterwards.
The Catholic Church did this because she felt that cremations associations with Paganism (and later secularism) had suitably diminished. Having said that…
Point #5: Gnostic views of the body
Some folks on the threads had almost Gnostic beliefs about physical matter. Some even denied that the resurrection of the body, something which stands in direct contradiction to the early creeds of the Church:
I believe… in the resurrection of the body and live everlasting
The Apostles Creed
They claimed that only the soul will be raised from the dead and the body it will receive will be entirely brand new. Was this the case with Jesus’ own Body? If it was, surely there shouldn’t have been any nail marks?
Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
John 20:27
Point #6: Extravagance
Some objected on grounds of extravagance. It was claimed that building a mausoleum to yourself is a waste of both time and money. Judas made a similar argument about Christ’s anointing before His Passion (John 12:5). Maybe that passage applies here, or maybe it doesn’t, but regardless abusus non tollit usum and, more importantly, the question here was over the validity of cremation.
Point #7: It is worth remembering that while Lewis’ wife, Joy, was cremated, Lewis himself was buried.
