Beliefs About What Happens After Cremation Across Major Religions

Across cultures and religions, views on cremation vary widely. Some faiths embrace it as part of the soul’s journey, while others traditionally discourage it because of teachings about the body, resurrection, or sacred burial practices.

Yet despite these differences, one theme appears again and again across many belief systems:

The idea that death is not necessarily the end.

Here is how several major religions and spiritual traditions view cremation and what they believe may happen afterward.

Christianity: Views Differ Between Traditions

Within Christianity, beliefs about cremation have evolved significantly over time.

Historically, many Christian traditions preferred burial because of belief in bodily resurrection and because Jesus himself was buried rather than cremated.

Today, however, many Christian denominations accept cremation.