In reply to John J. Flanagan.

I have seen this trend as a hospice nurse over the past 30 years. While we have a chaplain as part of our hospice team, many of those who are dying and their families have no connection with Christianity and do not desire one. They simply believe in nothing. They have the highest risk of complicated bereavement, depression and even self harm. When there is no meaning in death, there's also no real meaning in life. They have no anchors.

Until about 10 years ago, I saw many people put their aversion to Christianity aside and still participate in their family's religious rites around end of life. Now they aren't even doing that. That's a shame because I saw many families reconnect with each other and with their faith at those funerals. Sometimes, the younger generation can't even put their antipathy towards the rituals at end of life aside long enough to even honor their parents expressed wishes.

The past 18 months has also shown many families that they can just dispense with all of the funeral rituals. That's a valuable time and I hate to see that. This is more than a Lutheran heartbreak, it's happening in most Christian communities.