What does Scripture say about cremation?
—Ms. P. L. Widner
No preferred method of burial is mentioned in Scripture. One traditional view of burial was influenced by a popular interpretation of statements about the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3.16, 6.19).
Since the early 1960s, there has been growing interest in cremation in the United States due to concerns about the sound use of land, sanitation and the cost of burials. The acceptance of cremation occurred earlier in Europe, with the growth of urbanization and limited space in the churchyards.
The essential thing is the Christian belief in the sanctity of life. A ceremony, whatever it may be, locates the event of death within the grace of the Creator God, commemorates the life of the person for the family and community, and marks the transition from the earthly to the eternal life.
