The Christian Funeral

A friend recently gave me an autographed copy of Dr. Tom Long's latest book, Accompany Them with Singing:  The Christian Funeral.   I was one of Dr. Long's students over two decades ago while pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree from Columbia Theological Seminary.  Dr. Long left Columbia to teach at Princeton, and is now at Candler School of Theology.

In his recent book, which according to Dr. Long himself took about twenty years to research, he articulates some of the same thoughts and feelings I have had in recent years about funerals.  Dr. Long contents that the Christian funeral has become more about the deceased--a memorial service honoring the life and memory of the departed--than about the hope we have in the Resurrected Christ.   He states:  "Christian pastors have desired to make funerals more personal, more expressive of the desires and lifestyles of the deceased and mourning families, but have ended up allowing them to become more individualistic and even narcissistic."

I don't think we should jump to the wrong conclusions from reading Dr. Long's recent work.  I don't believe he would ever propose that personal references have no place in the Christian funeral.  I simply believe he is saying that "It's Never About Us!"  Even in death, "It's Not About Us."  For the Christian, it is never about us, but it is always about the ONE who has redeemed us by means of His own precious blood.  Even in death, it is about the ONE who has been our Rock and Shield; the One who leads us even in the valley of the shadow of death!

I hope Dr. Long is contemplating a book on The Christian Wedding!

Blessings,
Jimmy