Cemeteries round Christian Churches?

[Asyncritus]

In view of the general uncleanness expressed in the Law of Moses regarding dead bodies, what do people think is the thinking behind the practice of surrounding some churches with cemeteries?

Le 21:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
Le 21:11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;

Nu 5:2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:

Nu 19:11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.

Nu 19:13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

Nu 19:16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

In the NT, we have the practice of whitewashing the sepulchres so they would be highly visible, and not be touched in the dark

 

[WIP]

Perhaps it would be good for you to offer your thoughts? Maybe that will help get things started.

 

[Sinthesis]

Are you worried about being ceremonially unclean?

 

[theLords]

Are you worried about being ceremonially unclean?

How does one touch a dead body that's six feet underground?

 

[jasoncran]

In view of the general uncleanness expressed in the Law of Moses regarding dead bodies, what do people think is the thinking behind the practice of surrounding some churches with cemeteries?

Le 21:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
Le 21:11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;

Nu 5:2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:

Nu 19:11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.

Nu 19:13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

Nu 19:16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

In the NT, we have the practice of whitewashing the sepulchres so they would be highly visible, and not be touched in the dark

gee so the church should have been the center of american life and european life all these years? hmm

ever watch that show called little house on the prairie where the school house was in the church and town meetings?

 

[handy]

I've read this several times now...and just can't seem to "get" what the issue is. Not sure what old testament laws on being "unclean" has to do with where cemeteries are located?

 

[Bob Carabbio]

And the problem would be?????

"In view of the general uncleanness expressed in the Law of Moses regarding dead bodies, what do people think is the thinking behind the practice of surrounding some churches with cemeteries?"

In case you hadn't noticed, the "Law" and JEwish traditions beyond the short list in Acts 15:20 were not bound to the Gentile church.

Obviously the proximity of "Cemeteries" to "Churches" in the earlier days was a "Practical procedure". Why Haul 'em 14 miles, when the "Churchyard" is right there handy. Did you know that "Mother Goose" is buried in the Churchyard of Park Street Congregational Church in Boston??? It's on the freedom trail - a good afternoon's excursion if you ever get to "Beantown".

Simple as that -

 

[Asyncritus]

Perhaps it would be good for you to offer your thoughts? Maybe that will help get things started.

I have to admit that the symbology of the whole thing is what bugs me.

There is a church, which has something to do with 'life', surrounded by the dead.

The other thing that bugs me is the set of passages I quoted above. Given those passages, do you think that the Jews would surround say, a synagogue, with graves? Or even the temple when it was standing?

If not, why not?

Do you think that their whitewashing of the sepulchres as a means of warning off people from touching them is significant?

 

[Asyncritus]

Re: And the problem would be?????

"In view of the general uncleanness expressed in the Law of Moses regarding dead bodies, what do people think is the thinking behind the practice of surrounding some churches with cemeteries?"

In case you hadn't noticed, the "Law" and JEwish traditions beyond the short list in Acts 15:20 were not bound to the Gentile church.

Sure, the Gentiles can more or less do what they like as far as ceremonial is concerned, and I wouldn't for a moment say otherwise.

But surely those precedents are there for a purpose? If so, what purpose or indicators do they have for us?

You may know that in the Middle Ages the Jews were thought to be in league with the devil because they were so often unaffected by the plagues sweeping the city. But that was simply because they observed the uncleanness rules of the Law of Moses.

Similarly, it was only when Semmelweiss, the "savior of mothers", introduced the practice of obstetricians' hand washing and disinfecting after delivering babies, that the incidence of puerperal fever diminished drastically. That is a requirement of the Law too.

Obviously the proximity of "Cemeteries" to "Churches" in the earlier days was a "Practical procedure". Why Haul 'em 14 miles, when the "Churchyard" is right there handy.

That's not relevant today, is it?

 

[Stormcrow]

what do people think is the thinking behind the practice of surrounding some churches with cemeteries?

Churches were once the civic, social, and spiritual centers of cities, towns, and villages. Cemeteries were placed around them so that - as social and spiritual centers - people could more readily visit the graves of their loved ones and remember them.

Death, in earlier times, was an intensely social and spiritual matter, as extended families and friends would often gather in the home of the dying to offer support for family and patient. The dying were not relegated to sterile environments in the care of professional health care providers as they are now.

Cemeteries near and around churches were not only a convenience but a constant reminder that death was a part of life and that the dead in Christ never truly die.

 

[Lewis]

I live down the street from some historic churches with graveyards and I don't see the problem, I mean why not bury the dead on church grounds. Christ Church downtown Philadelphia where Benjamin Franklin use to be buried before they moved him, is a church where people are buried in the aisles of the church on the inside of the church. I have been there and have seen it for myself. Many old churches overseas have catacombs under them where the dead are buried. You can take a look at the tradition here, and that is exactly what it is, a tradition. I have to go but when I get home I can go into this deeper.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard

 

[Lewis]

Use of churchyards as a place of burial


Russian Orthodox Church and Churchyard in Alaska


Historically the most common use of churchyards was as a consecrated burial ground known as a graveyard. Graveyards were usually established at the same time as the building of the relevant place of worship (which can date back to the 6th to 14th centuries) and were often used by those families who could not afford to be buried inside or beneath the place of worship itself. Most headstones and other memorials are of the 17th century at the earliest, as ground would often be reused for further burials and only some families could afford any memorials.
The use of churchyards as burial grounds for the deceased was discontinued all over Europe in various stages between the 18th to 19th centuries due to lack of space for new headstones. In many European states, burial in churchyards was outlawed altogether either by royal decrees or government legislation for public hygiene reasons and portions of churchyards were taken in order for roads to be built or expanded. The loss of part (or all) of the churchyard, often led also to the removal and permanent loss of centuries old graves and headstones. In some cases the human remains were exhumed and the gravestones transferred. In other cases, all headstones have been removed, to create a park-like environment, or simply to facilitate the seasonal cutting and removal of grass or weeds.
A very small number of churchyards across the world are still used as graveyards today

Or go here for much more detail
http://www.sacred-texts.com/etc/fcod/fcod11.htm

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Today -

"That's not relevant today, is it?"

Not so much. Here in Dallas there are TWO major "bury'in grounds" "Restland" in the North of town, and "Laureland" in the South. And there's no "Church" other than the chapel for the funeral, and a well stocked flower shop (and a bag-Piper on staff for "Amazing Grace" when it's needed).

No argument about the hygenic efficacy of Jewish dietary, and cleanliness practices. "None of These Diseases" was published back in the late '60s about that very thing.