New research by Co-operative Funeralcare shows that a fifth of the bereaved have been burdened with the additional distress caused by second guessing their loved one's final wishes and funeral plans.
Over half (52 per cent) of us are yet to communicate our final wishes to anyone. Of this, a tenth (nine per cent) say a fear of death prevents them talking about it, while a third (30 per cent) have not broached the subject simply because they do not know how to.
"Funeral celebrants who are not related to the churches, some are part of the British Humanist Association, but many are
not," said Prof. Douglas Davies, Theology and Religion, Durham University.
"And these have to talk to the family, and derive from the family things to say about the dead person; in a sense they have to make it up hoof, this is inventing tradition as it goes along. Christianity and the other great world religions have already got enormous tradition, and maybe they don't capitalise on it enough."
In 2011 12 per cent of funerals were humanist or non-religious.
"They should advertise themselves a bit more as well.The clergy and Christian members of the congregation should help people at a time of grief.This is a tremendous opportunity for Christianity to show its face at a time of grief," added Pref. Davies.
In 2012 the Church of England voted to raise the cost of a funeral service from £102 to £160 from January next year.
The average cost of dying, including funeral and estate administration fees cost estimated £7,622 in 2014.
