Solitarbestattung: Evangelische Bestattungen ohne Angehörige als theologische Herausforderung

Solitary Funeral: Protestant Funerals Conducted in the Absence of Relatives or Friends as a Challenge for Theology. In larger cities such practice might be the case for up to 10 %of the church funerals. For Protestant definitions the presence of a congregation has been considered constitutive for funerals as a church service (in contrast with the Catholic practice of performing rituals even without a congregation). The author opts for taking such funerals as a pastoral act (not a church service) to be publically commemorated in the next Sunday service. Therefore, inappropriate elements of the usual funeral liturgymay be omitted. An example of a fitting order for such a pastoral act is given.