The Good Funeral

Two of the most authoritative voices on the funeral industry come together here in one volume to discuss the current state of the funeral. Through their different lenses--one as a preacher and one as a funeral director--Thomas G. Long and Thomas Lynch alternately discuss several challenges facing "the good funeral," including the commercial aspects that have led many to be suspicious of funeral directors, the sometimes tense relationship between pastors and funeral directors, the tendency of modern funerals to exclude the body from the service, and the rapid growth in cremation. The book features forewords from Patrick Lynch, President of the National Funeral Directors Association, and Barbara Brown Taylor, highly praised author and preacher. It is an essential resource for funeral directors, morticians, and pastors, and anyone else interested in current funeral practices.

"[E]veryone should read this book, for we all share the task of caring for the living and for the dead." -- Matthew A. Rich, in Interpretation

Thomas G. Long is Bandy Professor of Preaching at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, and one of the most popular preachers in the United States today. He is the author of many books, including Accompany Them With Singing—The Christian Funeral and The Witness of Preaching.

Thomas Lynch is a Licensed Funeral Director and the author of several books of nonfiction and poetry. His book, The Undertaking: Life Stories from a Dismal Trade, won an American Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award. His work has also been the subject of two documentaries, including the Emmy Award-winning The Undertaking on PBS.