Buddhism + Anglicanism

Buddhism + Anglicanism

Buddhism and Anglicanism are two exceedingly popular Religions. Both religions have very different views on their funerary practices and beliefs. They have incredibly diverse ideas on what happens to you once you depart this life and the potential continuation of another. Buddhism and Anglicanism are only slightly compatible on the issue of funerary practices and the possibilities after death.

It is quite well known that Buddhists believe in reincarnation however this is not necessarily just in a human form. According to Buddhism for dummies there are in fact six realms of reincarnation. These are Heaven, Human Beings, Asura, Hungry ghost, Animal and Hell. Which realm you go to depends on your karmic actions. Buddhists believe however that none of these places are permanent and that you won’t remain in any realm indefinitely.

Onto funerary practices, a Buddhist funeral service consists of many complicated rituals. At the moment of death, the relatives may set up a wailing, both to express sorrow and to notify the neighbours. At an ordinary funeral a cremation takes place within three days. The neighbours gather nightly and celebrate the life of the departed. On the day of the funeral an orchestra is employed and according to Buddhism for dummies “every effort is made to banish sorrow, loneliness and the fear of spirits by means of music and fellowship”. Before the funeral procession begins the monks chant a service at the home and then proceed to take the coffin down the steps of the house. The stairs are occasionally layered with banana leaves to make the route out of the house an unusual one. This is because it is felt that the body should not leave the house by the usual route due to the fact they aren’t in the usual routine of everyday life anymore, instead they may also remove the coffin through a hole in the wall or floor.

I will now move on to the Anglican religion. Anglicans believe in life on earth as their only chance to live life to its fullest positional to do so you must (according to the arch bishop of York from the Church of England) “Live your life by god through prayer, worship, love and forgiveness”. They believe that once a person has departed from this life that they will go to heaven (although also thought to be a hell I found no mention of one in my research) According to Karen Reed one of the few female pastors of the church describing heaven as a physical place of beauty and peace, a perfect Earth, where those who profess belief in Jesus will enjoy everlasting life.

Pastor Reed maintained the Bible teachings that heaven will be a place with “actual water, trees, cities, streets, territories and rulers.”Stating “There will be no war, evil or suffering in heaven”; Reed said people in heaven will have "eternal bodies" that do not deteriorate. "There will be rest from drudgery, shame and poverty. Work will be part of heaven, but it will be meaningful work, joyful work. There will be no 'Thank God It's Friday' days in heaven".

Once an Anglican has died the funeral arrangements are made they can leave a will which may include their wishes on how they are to be put to rest this can include being buried or cremated as the Anglicans have no prejudice against either. According to the Church of England “a funeral marks the close of a human life on earth.” Once a person has died they believe that they have completed their journey of life towards god. Anglican funeral services tend to be very quiet with a priest reading out scriptures and others may make a sermon about the deceased.

The funeral service will reflect the personality of the one who has died and the circumstances of their death. Feelings of grief, gratitude, joy and sadness often intermingle with each other. When it is a young person who has died there is a sense of a life taken to early with a natural feeling of tragedy. Whereas when it is the end of a long and fruitful life, the feelings of thanksgiving can be strongest. There are times when the death of a faithful Christian seems to be the summary of all they have lived for and the funeral service is a triumphal departure for their true home with god.

In comparison it is interesting to see that regardless of how different these two religions are they still manage to have some similarities for instance they both sanction the feelings of anguish and sorrow at the loss of a loved one and nevertheless still commemorate the life they have lived.

They also consider that when an individual has departed this existence that it is not essentially the conclusion but a new beginning although