The Provenience of Christian Burial Traditions: From Old Testament Times to the Intertestamental Period

Juvenalis. Master and Graduate Studies

Abstract

This article examines the retrospective development of burial practices and traditions that form the foundation of the modern Christian tradition. It is no secret that the fundamental assumptions and forms of religious life among Christians in the early centuries were based on the cultural environment that characterized their location: originating in Jerusalem and spreading throughout the Roman Empire, the apostles and their successors adapted local traditions to the needs of the church community. However, the foundations of these ancient traditions, including burial of the dead, lie much deeper than the first century AD. Therefore, it is interesting to trace earlier practices to note the extent of their influence on subsequent traditions. Jewish practices are the primary focus of this study, as they largely illustrate characteristics common to the entire Middle East region. However, for the sake of completeness, attention will also be given to Roman funerary culture. The purpose of this review is based on the important fact that contemporary problematic issues of bioethics and, in particular, the attitude towards the human body, pose a number of difficult tasks for the Church, the search for answers to which lies, in particular, in an in‑depth study of Church Tradition, as well as the formulation of a clear position of Christian doctrine in relation to burial.