Who Conducts a Non-Religious Funeral?

With modern, low-cost alternatives to the traditional funeral on the rise across the UK, many people are asking themselves questions about how secular funerals work. For instance, who conducts a non-religious funeral? In this article, we will answer that question, as well as some other connected ones.

Who conducts a non-religious funeral?

A number of different people could conduct a non-religious funeral. Usually, at an official service, such a funeral could be professionally conducted by a humanist officiant, or a funeral celebrant. It’s more and more common that a member of the family, or a very close friend, will conduct the funeral ceremony of someone close to them whom they’ve recently lost.

A religious ceremony, despite the decline of religion in the UK, is still the typical format which we tend to imagine when we think of a funeral. What happens at a funeral like this is usually fairly easy to picture: pallbearers, black clothing, sombre wording and music filled with religious imagery, and perhaps religious architecture like a church or a cemetery. Only a religious figure, such as a priest, imam or rabbi, would officiate at such a funeral.

Outside of this framework, is the growing tendency for non-religious, modern alternatives, such as direct cremation. At these ceremonies, we are more likely to see alternative officiants. A humanist officiant is a kind of funeral celebrant that specifically focuses on non-religious messaging in the content of their service. Or, rather, who actively avoids religious elements, such as prayers, hymns and religious imagery. They will work with the family to design a service which is appropriate to their beliefs and their needs.

A secular celebrant has the job of officiating a secular funeral ceremony, much like a humanist celebrant, but they are happy to incorporate the religious elements which a humanist celebrant might exclude. That means that they offer a level of flexibility to families who, although they don’t want to have an attended funeral ceremony in a church or a crematorium chapel (because they may not be religious), they would still like certain religious music or wording to be included.

Of course, family members more and more often find themselves stepping up to officiate matters themselves. One of the key aspects of non-religious funerals is the ability to personalise and tailor everything around the lives of those we’ve lost. Who is better placed to do that than those who know them best?

What qualifications does a non-religious funeral officiant have?

There aren’t any qualifications as such which a non-religious funeral officiant is required to have, but there are organisations out there which aim to guarantee quality among the ranks of secular celebrants and humanist officiants. Groups like the Association of Independent Celebrants (AIOC) is a professional body which acts as a focal point for independent, self-employed celebrants. It gives them a place to position themselves in a certain way, by sharing their personalities, beliefs and interests, therefore allowing families who are looking for the services of such a celebrant to find one that works for them.

The AOIC aims to hold its members to a high standard of ethics and conduct, as well as offering training courses to newer celebrants in order to help them get started. Aura works closely with the AOIC, and, if you are planning your own funeral, or that of someone else, and you would like to use the services of a celebrant, we can help to link you with the right one for you through the AIOC.

Training for funeral celebrants focuses on public speaking, as well as active listening. Ultimately, a good celebrant needs to be a good listener, and a good storyteller. They will work closely with you and your family to design a service that reflects who your lost loved one was in life. To do this effectively, they will need to have an instinct for detail, and the ability to get the best out of people.

Can you have a non-religious funeral in a church?

There are many different beliefs on death and funerals in religion, so it’s not possible to comment on what every faith would allow. However, the Church of England, in a statement about funeral choices, have said that religious funerals at their churches are “available to everyone”. This means that, even if you have never been a practising christian, you will still be able to arrange a christian funeral with the Church of England if you wish. It’s important to bear in mind that this level of flexibility will differ from faith to faith more broadly, and even from branch to branch of Christianity more specifically.

If you are not able to have a funeral in the religious facilities you’d like, there are a whole host of alternatives available to you. If you are not attached to religious architecture for your funeral, then, you can instead opt for a funeral which simply focuses on the funeral process, i.e., the practical matter of burying or cremating your remains. 

Once this has been seen to, your family can arrange a celebration of life that can be held in any location that meant something to you: a football stadium, a cherished national park, by a favourite river, or even at a favourite venue, such as a pub or a restaurant. A funeral celebrant can be hired to officiate at such a ceremony, or your family can do it themselves.

How to choose the right person to conduct a non-religious funeral

There are many things to consider when hiring a celebrant, from cost, to personal fit, and whether or not an alternative might be better. When you are hiring a celebrant, much as you would with a death doula, you might find it productive to interview a few candidates. This way, you can find out whether your personalities are a match for each other, and whether you have both understood the capabilities and needs of the other party. 

Much as you would if you were comparing Aura funeral plans with other leading providers, it can be useful to do a bit of research on what options are out there. Compare different celebrants on price, customer satisfaction, training and length of experience. You may find it useful to start a funeral checklist in order to keep your reflections organised in one place.

Alternatives to hiring a celebrant

As an alternative to hiring someone to conduct the funeral ceremony of a loved one, it may be possible to find someone within the family to officiate matters. This approach can make for a uniquely meaningful way of remembering a loved one, as there are few people better placed to share treasured anecdotes and to advise on how best to personalise proceedings than our nearest and dearest.

With that being said, to say goodbye whilst we are probably at the very height and freshness of our grief can be an incredibly challenging thing to do. One of the main reasons we tend to outsource the task of officiating the funeral of a loved one is that coping with our grief can be hard enough without having to make it so very public as it would be whilst we are trying to lead a ceremony about its cause. Of course, writing a eulogy and delivering it is a common part of a funeral ceremony, carried out by family members, but taking responsibility for all the logistics and the day as a whole is another thing altogether.

If selecting a member of the family to act as the celebrant, they will need to be well organised, confident and comfortable speaking in front of people, and all while potentially being emotionally vulnerable too.

Perspectives and considerations for families

If you’d like to personalise the funeral of a loved one, but aren’t sure where to begin, there are a few things you can do. The words at a ceremony might focus on the achievements and career development, for instance, of the person, or on their hobbies and passions. If you are unsure of what these were, then speak with other family members who might be able to help. In this way, you can avoid making decisions that you are unsure whether or not the person who has died would agree with.

Aura for your future

We hope this article has helped you to understand more clearly who conducts a non-religious funeral, and other related matters. If you are planning your own funeral, and are beginning to think about how you’d like it to be, Aura can help you to get the ball rolling. 

We are the top-rated national provider of ‘Cremation Services’ on Trustpilot, with a score of 4.9/5 stars, and we proudly offer our funeral services to those seeking a direct cremation in the immediate future for a loved one, for themselves in the future with one of our prepaid funeral plans. 

Why not download our funeral-plan brochure today to see how Aura could help you?