ABSTRACT
A Note on the Theology of Burial in relation to Some Contemporary Questions was written by the Rt Rev Christopher Hill when he was Bishop of Stafford. The importance of the Note lies in its examination of the permanence of Christian burial and its reliance upon sources, primarily with reference to the Church of England. Whilst the courts’ interpretation of Re Blagdon Cemetery has been expanded and finessed over the years, Bishop Hill’s basic arguments regarding the permanence of Christian burial remain unchanged. The Chancery Court of York then commented that the archdeacon’s evidence emphasised the pastoral aspect of the burial service and the importance of the committal of remains as underscoring the ‘protective jurisdiction’ of the ecclesiastical courts. The sources employed by Bishop Hill are listed as: the worship of the Church; the Order for the Burial of the Dead in The Book of Common Prayer, and the more flexible provision found in Common Worship: Pastoral Services.
