6. Body in Christianity

Christian Anthropology

During its two thousand year history, Christian teaching about body is developed and changed depending on the time, place and influenced by Jewish or Greek ethics and philosophy. Christians accept as true Jewish texts about God’s creation of man adding New Testament’s point of view handed down in Greek language: just only this evidence can help to understand stratification of Christian anthropology.   
Even though from early Christianity to the present day there are differences among Christian groups, it’s possible to say basic concepts almost universally accepted. It is not always easy to find clear-cut distinctions, but there are four biblical terms which describe a human being, otherwise said person: the flesh, the body, the soul and the spirit. Christians traditionally believe that all the four somehow gathered and renewed will be resurrected at the end of the age, as promised by Jesus Christ. After death the body, even in its more material aspect of flesh rejoined with spiritual aspects, has to be resurrected by God who will judge between righteous and the unrighteous.
Relations between notions as flesh, body, soul and spirit; what happens to soul and spirit of the dead before resurrection; which special kind of body and flesh are those resurrected; what happens to unrighteous, if annihilated or punished for all eternity; these are subjects of different opinions among different Christian groups during all its history. 
But it’s important to underline that the belief on the corporal resurrection of the dead is one of the most important points of Christian theology. It easely explains why cremation of the dead is generally avoided.  Recently Catholic Church permits cremation but recommending traditional burial, Orthodox Church generally refuses it, while most Evangelical and Protestant Churches accept it. 

See source 1 [link]

Moral attitude: Chastity and Marriage

In Christian belief chastity is a great virtue. For unmarried persons chastity is identified with sexual abstinence, while within marriage it is identified with fidelity. 
Other moral aspects involving body such as woman’s status, birth control within marriage, abortion, homosexuality, clergy celibacy, are subject of different opinions among Christians. The diversity of response divides different denominations, but often it cuts across a same denomination in “liberal” and “conservative” parties. The conservative views hold that Bible and tradition teach that contraception, abortion, and homosexual behaviour are always wrong. Catholic Church shares these claims even though there are Catholics who manifest dissent. Orthodox church shows more comprehensive on contraception within marriage, refusing abortion and homosexual practices. Some protestant groups, as Lutheran, Methodist, Waldesian, Anglican, generally accept contraception within marriage refusing abortion. Some other groups, as Baptists and Pentecostals refuse both. Generally is common to all Christians ask or suggest for sexual abstention before marriage, and to assume the marriage as a fundamental step in believer’s life.

Practices

1. Baptism 

Baptism is a Christian rite of admission, almost invariably with the use of water. Christian texts of Gospels report that Jesus was baptized in Jordan River. In the earliest Christianity the candidate was immersed, either totally or partially. Nowadays common forms of baptism include pouring water on the forehead. More than half of all Christians baptize infants, but a sizable part of Christians (Baptists, Anabaptist and Pentecostals) assume as effective only “believer’s baptism”, that is baptism of a person able to read the Bible and to profess publicly his faith. In this case children may be baptized so long as they are old enough.
Most Christians see baptism as necessary for salvation, a sacrament to pass from a natural state of sin to a Christian regeneration through an actual supernatural transformation. This view is shared by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, and by some protestant Churches as Lutheran and Anglican. Nevertheless there are differences in views and some Christians  as Quaker and the Salvation Army do not see baptism as necessary,  they do not practice the rite even though it is not forbidden. 

See source 2 [link]

2. Lord’s supper

A religious practice common to all Christians involves the believer’s body: Lord’s supper, also called Eucharist or Holy Communion. Remembering Jesus last supper, during a ceremony Christians eat together bread and drink wine, remembering Jesus words to disciples “This is my body", "This is my blood". For believers it recalls and reenacts Jesus’ sacrifice for universal salvation.
With baptism, the practice of eating together remembering Jesus last supper, is the most ancient practice of Christianity. Christians generally recognize a special presence of Jesus Christ during this rite, though they differ about exactly how, where, and when he is present. Some believe that bread and wine actually become body and blood of Christ, others believe in a spiritual presence of him. This practice underlines the unity of body and spirit evolving the believers bodies in eating, and remembering corporal sacrifice of Jesus.

See Source 3 [link]

Veil

The veil was usually adopted by many populations since ancient time. Roman and Greek women wore veil as a distinction of upper class condition. Veil was closely linked to religiosity: vestals wore it and during funeral ceremonies or passage rites both women and men wore it.
In ancient Christianity, in the letter to Corinthians (1Cor 11, 4-6), Paul prescribes veil to women assisting christian assemblies. Christian writers recommend veil to women and in particular to those who choose the vow of chastity. Veil was generally used during celebrations until recent time by Catholics, while Orthodox women still use it to cover their head during liturgy. Nowadays brides and nuns use veil as a symbol of modesty and chastity.

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