18th February 2009, 02:02 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by Dirty Dave Lincoln
Hi Steven,
The reason I posted this topic was to engage people in discussion/debate over the issue of human remains,and to have various viewpoints aired,you can't beat a good debate:face-approve:
You ask a very good question-so i'll try and answer as such; from an archaeological point of view the archived material IS more important than the report,why? because whoever has written the report could be wrong,and for various reasons;their phasing of the site might be proved to be out as new wares of pot are classified (a good example was Goltho,Lincs dug in the late 60's),and the wrong conclusions drawn up. So, without being able to revisit archived material, revisions cannot be made.
That is the archaeologist in me speaking and I readily accept the need for such-the quandary I find myself in is recconsiling this need for keeping human remains as archive with a growing Christian conviction. Though I am in favour of reburial for human remains, that is just my own belief and I hope that in whatever I have written in this topic I haven't implied people who disagree are being disrespectful.
Dave
You have been respectful and the debate is both good natured and I believe heartfelt so don't worry. If any of my posts have been robust, that's just the way I am, I love a good discussion and appreciate that I can be a little forthright!
Your post brings up a theological issue. It seems to me that the christian faith does not place any emphasis on the body after death. Indeed there seems to be pretty much universal agreement that the body is just a shell made for life and that a new body is created for the soul after death (see I Corinthians 15, verses 15-53 and associated translations). So in terms of christian beliefs, the body has no spiritual identity and will be replaced. This is why the guidance notes allow retention of remains if they have research potential.
It is because this is a difficult issue that I adopt my stance from a scientific and professional rational rather than a more emotive or social one.
Steven