Search Results for: Funeral Readings (60 Found)

Atheist funerals — usually quite similar to humanist funerals — are becoming more and more common. They are appropriate memorials to those who lived their lives without religious affiliation and reject the typically religious views associated with life and death.

Sikh Beliefs

Pentecostal funeral customs are similar to other Christian funeral traditions. The service traditionally takes place at the church, but it may also be conducted at a funeral home or at the site of the grave. In the past it has been the custom to wear black at Pentecostal funeral services. However, white is more frequently being used to symbolize the Pentecostal belief in the resurrection of the body.

Members of the Salvation Army refer to death as a “promotion to glory” for fellow Christians. They believe that although the physical body dies, the spirit or soul of a Christian continues living in another dimension with God called heaven or “glory.” Because of these beliefs, Salvation Army funerals are characterized by sadness and grief but have underpinnings of hope and joy.

Moravian funerals are similar to many other Christian traditions in that they are characterized by both grief and joy. Members of this faith grieve the loss of loved ones, but they believe that through salvation eternity is ever hopeful. Moravian believers are often heard saying that the deceased has “entered into the immediate presence of the Savior.” This is an indication of their belief that life and death are both blessings.

The Church of God in Christ is part of the Pentecostal or holiness denominations in the Christian religion. In some cases a funeral service may be delayed several days in order for family members and close friends to travel if they live far away. The immediate family members as well as the extended family members of the deceased usually gather together in the home.

Because Ásatrú (meaning “belief in the Gods”) is an ancestral polytheistic religion focused on deeds, the religion’s funeral customs involve remembering the deeds of the deceased and retelling fond memories. Followers do not fear death, because they do not believe in a painful or torturous afterlife. When a loved one passes, they are believed to enter a place of joy, rest, and healing.

A Scientology funeral is led by a Scientology minister who may lead with any number of different Scientology funeral ceremonies which typically include special readings from founder Ron. L. Hubbard. The funeral service might be said over the remains of the deceased or at a memorial without the physical remains present. The service is usually held in a Scientology chapel.

Many people, not wanting to burden their families with difficult decisions during an already difficult time, opt to pre-plan their funerals. Because green burials are a relatively new trend in the United States, you may not know what green options are available. With these pointers, you can plan a funeral that is natural, free of toxic chemicals, and minimizes your environmental impact.