Can someone tell me how this phrase from the funeral rite is not Biblical?
In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother <name>; and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace. Amen.
Explain me the "un-Biblical" theology behind this, please. Hint: start with Genesis 3:19
Likewise, ashes are a Biblical symbol of penitence. See, for example, Job 42:5-6.
The idea of ashes (though not the exact western phrase which is familiar) predated the BCP by a long mile...the Orthodox have similar phrases in their (our) funeral services...
Depending on the week we rotate the Tones (melodic arrangements...everything we do is in chant).
Here is the whole service for those that are interested.
Tone 4 Where is earthly predilection? Where is the pomp of the ephemeral creatures of a day? Where are the gold and the silver? Where is the multitude of household servants and their clamour? All dust, all ashes, all shadows. But come, let us cry aloud unto the deathless King: O Lord, of thine eternal good things vouchsafe thou unto him (her) who hath been translated from among us, giving unto him (her) rest in thy blessedness which waxeth not old.
Tone 5 I called to mind the Prophet, how he cried: I am earth and ashes; and I looked again into the graves, and beheld the bones laid bare; and I said: Who then is the king or the warrior, the rich man or the needy, the upright or the sinner? Yet give rest with thy Saints unto thy servant, O Lord.