Many of us have been to that funeral. The one where the deceased is the center of the show. Maybe it was called a “celebration of life.” Or, the thing was intended to be the happy event because everybody’s always so sad at funerals. In the service, we heard a eulogizing message that made little or no mention of Jesus. It certainly didn’t speak of what wondrous things Jesus has done and is doing for Aunt Gertrude. There was no talk of Uncle Jurgen’s rest in Christ, or the promised resurrection on the last day.
To be clear, I’m not talking about reminiscing together. I’m not talking about a glowing obituary, or even a public reading of it. I’m talking about those quasi-hagiographies that elevate the deceased above the character of a sinner, saved for Jesus’s sake, by no merit of their own. These are on the doorstep of idolatry.
In talking about the funeral, you might hear something like, “The resurrection of all flesh?” What use is that to say? This is a celebration of life! We’re taking comfort in who Gertrude was.” Or, “How will people know who Jurgen was? Someone has to talk about him, so the people get to know him. They need to know what he was like.”
That is grief talking. In the resurrection, we will be with all the faithful, including Gertrude and Jurgen. They are at rest. They’re not gone forever. They are awaiting the resurrection, having been delivered from this tribulation. “I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’” (Revelation 7:14)
Eulogies can be bad, when they’re false. It’s one thing to dwell on the highlights of a person’s life in their obituary. It’s entirely another to glorify their character beyond reality. “Gertrude was the kindest person anyone ever met.” “Jurgen was so selfless, no one ever had a cross word to say about him.” We’re talking about a sinner like us, with warts and weaknesses aplenty. Today, unlike us, they are free from sin today. Yesterday, they were not.
Eulogies can be worse, when they distract from the person and work of Jesus. The hagiographic problem rears its head in its dominance over our dead loved one’s savior, Jesus. The Gospel should always have predominance. This means that the kind words and remembrances of Gertrude or Jurgen ought not be greater in number, longer in presentation, or bolder in proclamation than the work of their Lord, Jesus Christ.
Eulogies can be wicked, when they deny the current state of blissful rest. This falls into the land of in-a-better-place-ism. “Jesus called her home, because He needed another angel.” “He has gone to a better place.” Neither of these are true, as we’ve discussed before. The dead in Christ are at rest in Him. “Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” (Revelation 6:11)
Eulogies are evil, when they deny the fleshly resurrection. We’ll hear about how Jurgen is freed from suffering. He’s done with his body now. The first statement is true and good. The latter is false and anti-Christian. The promise, given to us in baptism with the faith to trust in that promise, is salvation and resurrection. This isn’t an innovative teaching. Christianity has confessed the resurrection throughout the ages. Modern Christians are the ones returning to ancient heresies, like denying the resurrection. See also: Acts 6:6-8, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Job 19:23-27, and John 11:23-25.
Concerning the right use of Eulogies, “A eulogy is not the best Christian tradition. An obituary may be read that focuses on the gospel promise of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ our Lord and not on the good deeds of the deceased. It might be appropriate for family and friends to say a few words about the beloved in a more casual setting, such as a reception or family gathering after the service.” (Final Victory, p. 47, Bryan Wolfmueller, CPH, 2009).
Praise be to Jesus, the Firstborn of the Dead!
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Sole Pastor
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX
and
Mission planting pastoral team:
Epiphany Lutheran Church
Bastrop, TX
©2023 Jason Kaspar. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@gmail.com.
You sound like you studied under Jeff Gibbs! Amazing insights and bringing things to their proper focus from that gracious prof!
That’s very kind of you. However, Dr. Gibbs teachces/taught at the other seminary. I’m a product of Fort Wayne.
Well said. I have been to some awful
celebrations of life in my Lutheran Church. I’m not sure how funerals have gone off the rails so far!
Thank you.
In a word: boomers. Certainly not every boom-gen pastor is to blame here. But, the generation generally lacked a reverence for the office and the offices of the liturgy. That combined with an deep need for approval lead to and as-you-wish methodology concerning worship and pastoral care.