Accompany Them with Singing—The Christian Funeral
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
Thomas Long begins this fascinating volume by describing how the Christian funeral developed historically, theologically, and liturgically, and then discusses recent cultural trends in funeral practices, including the rise in both cremations and memorial services. He describes the basic pattern for a funeral service, details options in funeral planning, identifies characteristics of a “good funeral,” and provides thoughtful guidance for preaching at a funeral.
Long also notes a disturbing trend toward funeral services that seem theologically right and pastorally caring, but actually depart from the primary aims of the Christian funeral. He argues that a new, less-theological and less-satisfying service that focuses on the mourner has begun to erode the Christian view. He contrasts the ancient grand community drama with today’s trend toward body-less memorial services that focus primarily on the living and grief management. This is a loss for the church, he argues, and he calls for the church to reclaim the classic metaphor.
Key Features
- Explores the history and development of the Christian funeral
- Discusses the tenets of a good theologically-based funeral
- Presents help on how to preach in a caring way at a funeral
Contents
- Part One: Background
- Marking Death: Human Rituals, Christian Practices
- On Bodies Shunned and Bodies Raised
- The Future of the Dead in Christ
- Whatever Happened to the Christian Funeral?
- The Funeral as Worshipful Drama
- Part Two: The Church’s Ministry in Death
- In the Hour of Our Death
- The Marks of a Good Funeral
- Planning the Funeral: Practical Matters
- Telling the Truth about Life and Death: Preaching at Funerals
- Appendix: Difficult Funerals
Top Highlights
“The best preparation for dying a Christian death, then, is living a Christian life.” (Page 110)
“Despite popular misconceptions, a funeral is not primarily a quiet time when people gather to reflect on the legacy of the deceased, a devotional service dealing with grief, a show of community support for the mourning family, or even a ‘celebration of life.’ Good funerals, in fact, do all of these things—console the grief-stricken, remember and honor the deceased, display community care, and give thanks for all the joys and graces experienced in the life of the one who has died. But these are some of the consequences of a good funeral, not its central meaning or purpose.” (Page 78)
“To put it bluntly, a society that has forgotten how to honor the bodies of those who have departed is more inclined to neglect, even torture, the bodies of those still living. A society that has no firm hope for where the dead are going is also unsure how to take the hands of its children and lead them toward a hopeful future.” (Page 7)
“A good funeral is something that the people of God must do together. It is not a pastoral soliloquy; it is an ensemble performance.” (Page 122)
“In a funeral, what is true about all worship, namely, that the gospel story is reenacted in dramatic form, comes to particular focus around the occasion of a death. The major theme of a funeral is the gospel story, and the life story of the person who has died is a motif running through this larger theme; perhaps more precisely, a funeral is about the intertwining of these two narratives. At a funeral, the faithful community gathers to enact the promises of the gospel and the convictions of the Christian faith about life and death, as they are refracted through the prism of the life of the one who has died.” (Page 78)
About Thomas G. Long
Thomas G. Long is the Bandy Professor of Preaching Emeritus at Candler Theological School, Emory University. He is a world-renowned preacher and was named by Time magazine as one of the most effective preachers in the English language. He has authored more than twenty books, including The Good Funeral, Accompany Them with Singing, Matthew in the Interpretations series, and Preaching from Memory to Hope, all published by Westminster John Knox Press.