What is the difference between cremation and burial?

Last Updated: 14th February 2022

The difference between cremation and burial is how the deceased body is disposed of and it is very much a personal choice of the deceased, their next of kin and family but it may also be determined if there is a particular budget in mind.

What is the difference between cremation and burial is often asked and there is a simple definition that leads to much personal opinion depending on a person’s religion, faith, cultural or even spiritual belief.

During cremation, the body is incinerated so that the deceased is turned to ashes.  It is the name of the process in which a body is burned and it occurs after a funeral service takes place if there is one in place. 

Once a cremation is complete, there will be small amounts of bone of the deceased that remain in the cremator and so once a deceased person’s remains cool completely, it is carefully removed and placed into a different machine that reduces the bone to ashes.

Depending on what has been chosen by the deceased or their next of kin or family, after cremation, what is the difference between cremation and burial is that the ashes of the deceased are returned to the next of kin and they can be kept indefinitely or scattered or buried in a place the family wish.  

It is important to note that it can take some time, and there may be a delay in having the deceased’s ashes returned if the crematorium is busy.

What is the difference between cremation and burial is that a burial is considered a much more traditional way of laying a deceased loved one to rest. 

There are some religions and faiths, or due to cultural beliefs, that burial is the only option for the next of kin or family to consider when laying their deceased loved one to rest. 

There is no question that Muslims consider cremation when laying their loved ones to rest because they consider cremation to be an unclean practice.  A Muslim’s belief in what is the difference between cremation and burial is something that they hold significantly when laying their loved ones to rest.

The Catholic faith believes that the body of the deceased is resurrected after death and therefore, historically, they preferred to follow Jesus Christ’s burial procedure, in a tomb, rather than opt for cremation as the final procedure to lay their deceased loved ones to rest.  

The stricter belief that cremation should not be favoured has, in recent times, relaxed provided the cremated remains of the deceased are kept in a sacred place and should not be kept in an urn in a home or scattered at sea.  Catholics might now relax their rules when considering what is the difference between cremation and burial.

Traditionally, the Jewish faith forbids cremation and carefully consider what is the difference between cremation and burial.  It is their belief that burial should be the only option when laying their deceased loved one to rest.  The body of a deceased person is considered sacred and that a reunion between body and soul will take place after death, therefore keeping the body intact is important.  

A Jewish burial takes place as quickly as possible because it is belief that a deceased person’s body’s should be returned to the earth as dust as soon after death as possible in a simple and unelaborate way so that decomposition takes place quickly with some understanding that people arrived on earth with nothing and should leave the earth much the same way.

Whilst a few religions do not believe that cremation should take place, the Hindu faith sees what is the difference between cremation and burial and actually believes that cremation should be the preferred choice of laying a deceased person to rest because it allows the deceased loved one to go to a better place, at which they can be presented to a Hindu God with their soul truly leaving the earth so their energy can be passed on rather than lingering.  It is Hindu tradition that cremation is the preferred choice to burial.

When asked what is the difference between cremation and burial, a burial keeps the deceased body intact and the coffin in which the person is in will be sealed before being lowered into the ground.

People are often surprised to discover that what is the difference between cremation and burial is cost because cremations are a less expensive way of disposal of the deceased after death.

There is much to be considered when questioning the cost and what is the difference between cremation and burial. 

Whether it is a person’s religion that dictates whether they should be cremated or buried, their traditional, cultural or even spiritual belief, what is the difference between cremation and burial is a personal and often emotive subject to discuss before a loved ones passes away.

When choosing your final wishes and making arrangements what is the difference between cremation and burial it is certainly a deeply person one.  There is no right or wrong and often comes down to a person’s religious or personal beliefs.

The next article will be published next week, and the title will be Can I be cremated without a funeral?