Why Do We Have Funerals?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. ”
Recently, a church friend asked me, “Why do we have funerals?” At first, I thought this person with a great sense of humor was attempting to stump me. Yet I knew she also wanted a legitimate theological answer. So, I turned to the book Presbyterians call the most boring bound book in human history: the Presbyterian Book of Order. While the governance section of the Book of Order can be a real yawner, the “Directory of Worship” section has many profound and beautiful descriptions of what we believe and do to the glory of God.
In the worship section, the Book of Order answers why Christians perform funeral services. In W-4.07, “We understand the Christian funeral to be the completion of Baptism. In the face of death, we affirm with tears and joy the good news of the gospel and the hope of the resurrection. We do not grieve in isolation, but are sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit and the community of faith.” Baptism is a public announcement of God’s naming, blessing, and sustaining the individual through the covenantal commitment of our Triune God.
Funerals are also blessed, worshipful activities because they provide the opportunity to thank God for the gift of the loved one who died. In the funeral service, we honor God for caring for the deceased throughout their life on this earth and continuing that love in the next phase of their eternal life.
Finally, because people of faith are called to live out their religious expression in the church community, funerals are a sacred opportunity to celebrate God’s love by caring for one another in times of loss. Funerals allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through all present, providing strength, hope, and love. The same Spirit in baptism is there in the funeral service, reassuring the faithful that the God who named and blessed their loved one is now guiding them in the next step in their eternal journey.
