deliver funerals out of a cookie cutter,” he said, speaking of funeral professionals. “We must become event planners.”6 Funeral changes are not just cultural trends and fashion statements. If our theology shapes our funeral practices, and vice versa, then a change in our practice signals a commensurate shift in our theology. Our funerals are indeed changing, and that means something about how we view death theologically is changing as well. At first glance, though, it is hard to assess what is happening.