What Does a Modern Eulogy Look Like? Bridging Tradition and Today
- Gary Michaels
- Jun 9
- 7 min read
Eulogies have been a cornerstone of memorial services for centuries, offering a way to honour the dead, comfort the living and celebrate a life well-lived.
Traditionally, eulogies were formal, often religious and delivered by close family members or clergy. But as society evolves, shifting in its values, communication styles and even its relationship with death, I believe the eulogy must adapt as well.
In 2025, What Does a Modern Eulogy Look Like?
It's a prevalent question in this day and age I think. In this time of livestreams, emojis and rapidly shifting social norms what does a modern eulogy look like?
How do we honour timeless human emotion while adapting to the demands and expectations of today’s world? How can it balance tradition with contemporary needs while maintaining its core purpose which is to remember, to heal and to connect?
Maybe, the question is no longer just what do we say, but how do we say it, where and even who gets to speak?
With this blog, I wanted to explore just that, but also include:
The historical roots of eulogies and how they’ve changed over time.
The key elements that make a eulogy meaningful, regardless of era.
How modern eulogies reflect today’s diverse, digital and personalised world.
What the future of eulogies might hold.
The Evolution of the Eulogy: From Ancient Rituals to Modern Tributes
Ancient and Traditional Eulogies
The word "eulogy" comes from the Greek eulogia, meaning "praise" or "blessing."
In ancient Greece and Rome, eulogies were public speeches honouring military heroes, statesmen and leaders.
These were public affairs, rich in rhetoric and designed to inspire patriotism or moral fortitude. Think Pericles' Funeral Oration; more a call to arms than a personal tribute.
Religious traditions, particularly in Christianity and Judaism, incorporated eulogies into funeral rites as a way to commend the deceased’s soul and provide solace to mourners.
As centuries passed, especially through the rise of Christian funerals in the West, the eulogy became less about public duty and more about personal loss.
By the Victorian era, eulogies often became florid, moralistic affairs filled with biblical references, sombre poetry and high emotion. They were still, however, typically the domain of clergy or other authority figures.
For much of history, eulogies followed strict conventions. They were formal and reverent, often delivered by a religious figure.
They also focused on virtues, highlighting morality, faith and legacy. Above all they were structured and sombre and followed a predictable flow of remembrance and prayer.
The 20th Century: A Shift Toward Personalisation
As society became more secular and individualism grew, eulogies began to change.
It wasn’t until the 20th century though that the personal eulogy, as we know it today, became more commonplace.
Suddenly, a close friend or family member might step up to share anecdotes, humour and heartfelt memories of the deceased. The rise of secular funerals opened space for a wider array of voices and tones. The eulogy had finally become personal.
These key shifts also included more individual stories that highlighted different personalities; humour, quirks and imperfections were more acceptable to include in eulogies.
They also evolved to have a less rigid structure as some eulogies became conversational rather than ceremonial. Eulogies had grown to embrace a broader participation, often including multiple speakers, rather than just one official voice.
Today’s Eulogies: Authenticity, Diversity and Digital Influence
Today, the modern eulogy sits at the intersection of tradition and innovation. It is more accessible than ever; anyone can write one, speak one, or share one. But that accessibility and range comes with choices.
Should it be formal or casual?
Spiritual or secular?
Delivered in a chapel, a garden, or over a Zoom call?
Modern eulogies reflect today’s world; more diverse, less formal and shaped by technology.
Some these key trends include:
1. A Focus on Authenticity Over Perfection
Gone are the days when eulogies had to paint the deceased as flawless. Today, they often embrace the full person; their strengths, struggles and even their contradictions. This honesty makes the tribute more relatable and meaningful.
2. Inclusivity and Representation
With blended families, LGBTQ+ identities and varied cultural backgrounds, modern eulogies must acknowledge complex relationships. A eulogy today might celebrate a person’s chosen family, non-traditional life path, or cultural heritage in ways that past eulogies might not have.
3. The Rise of Digital and Multimedia Tributes
Many memorials now incorporate:
Video montages – Clips of the person speaking, laughing, or in their element.
Social media tributes – Hashtags, online memorial pages, or even livestreamed eulogies
Interactive elements – Guests sharing memories via audio recordings or digital guestbooks
4. Non-Religious and Alternative Formats
For secular or spiritual-but-not-religious individuals, eulogies may completely avoid traditional prayers and instead focus on humanist values, poetry, or even song lyrics that resonate with the deceased’s life.
The Essence of a Eulogy: What Should Never Change?
While the style of eulogies evolves, their purpose remains timeless. I genuinely believe that a meaningful eulogy, whether traditional or modern, should always:
1. Honour the Person’s True Self
The best eulogies capture the essence of who the person was, not a sanitised version. This means celebrating their uniqueness, even if it includes lighthearted flaws.
2. Provide Comfort to the Living
A eulogy is as much for the mourners as it is for the deceased. Sharing memories, acknowledging grief and even eliciting laughter can be healing.
3. Create Connection
A great eulogy makes everyone in the room (or online) feel like they’re part of a shared story. It bridges generations, friendships and experiences.
4. Offer a Sense of Legacy
However brief, a eulogy should answer this question,What mark did this person leave on the world? Whether through family, work, kindness, or passion, this reflection gives meaning to their life.
The Future of Eulogies: What’s Next?
With all this change, you might wonder whether the eulogy still necessary? The answer, resoundingly, I believe is yes. Perhaps more than ever.
In a world where attention spans are short and grief is often private or hidden, the eulogy offers something rare: a sanctioned space to remember, reflect and celebrate.
It's not just for the living; it's for the living with purpose. It helps mourners process loss, find connection and, most importantly, tell the story of a life that mattered.
Despite evolving formats, the essence remains the same; a good eulogy offers comfort, gives context and creates continuity between the life lived and the legacy left.
But, as society continues to change, so too will how we remember the dead. This all this in mind, I've put my thinking cap on come up with some possibilities for the future of eulogies.
1. AI and Personalised Memorials
Could AI help craft eulogies based on a person’s social media posts, letters or voice recordings? For sure, and while controversial, this could allow those who struggle with public speaking to still deliver a lovely, albeit generic, tribute.
Will it ever be as good as a bespoke personalised tribute written by a human being, I don't think so. It's never going to be able to include funny anecdotes all families have, the quirks of a person that made them so lovable or instil their essence throughout.
2. More Interactive and Experiential Tributes
Instead of a single speaker, future memorials might involve:
Group storytelling circles – Where attendees contribute spontaneously
Augmented reality (AR) elements – Holograms or digital avatars that "interact" with mourners.
Themed memorials – Celebrating a person’s passions (e.g., a musician’s tribute through a concert)
3. Environmental and Sustainable Memorials
As eco-consciousness grows, so might "green eulogies," incorporating nature metaphors, biodegradable memorials, or even tree-planting ceremonies in place of traditional speeches.
4. Global and Virtual Participation
With families spread across the world, hybrid (in-person and digital) memorials will likely become standard. As we begun to see during the COVID-19 pandemic to some degree, virtual reality (VR) funerals could allow people to 'attend' from anywhere.
Challenges and Questions
As we go forward and inevitably modernise eulogies, we'll all face new challenges.
For example, who gets to be remembered publicly? Social media can amplify some stories while others fade. Not everyone receives equal narrative space after death. Modern eulogies must be conscious of inclusion and representation.
As we increasingly live our lives digitally, what about our online legacies? Is a tweet thread a eulogy? A Facebook memory? A live-streamed funeral with a live chat of condolences? The digital landscape has expanded what a eulogy can be, but not everyone knows how to navigate it meaningfully.
Finally, how do we grieve in a distracted world? The speed of modern life - and ultimately death - means people often move on quickly. A traditional eulogy forced people to stop. Modern ones must still find a way to demand presence and reflection, even if the tools are new.
The PostScript: Balancing Change and Tradition
Don't get me wrong, modern eulogies aren’t abandoning tradition completely but they are breathing new life into it.
I believe they’re about finding new ways to tell timeless truths. About letting more voices speak and about ensuring that even in a fast-changing world, we still pause long enough to say goodbye with meaning.
Because in the end, how we remember the dead says a great deal about how we value the living.
I don't think the eulogy was ever meant to be a static tradition, it has always adapted to cultural shifts as it should do.
Yet, no matter how much technology or society changes, the heart of a eulogy remains the same: to remember, to honour, and to heal.
A modern eulogy doesn’t and shouldn't discard tradition, but reinterpret it. Whether through a heartfelt speech, a video montage, or an AI-assisted tribute, the goal is still to capture a life in words and emotions.
As we move forward, the most meaningful eulogies will be those that stay true to their purpose; celebrating a unique life while bringing people together in shared love and loss and I hope I'm still here writing them for you.
How would you want to be remembered? What would your ideal modern eulogy look like? The answer may be as unique as you are so let me know in the comments below.
If you're reading this, you may be preparing to write a eulogy, or maybe you're just curious about how we honour our dead. Either way, remember: a modern eulogy doesn’t need to be perfect, poetic, or profound. It needs to be honest. Human. Heard.
If you haven’t thought about your own, maybe now’s the time. What would you want said about you? What song would play? Who would speak? How would you want to be remembered? Because whether it’s written on parchment or posted to Instagram, someone, someday, will tell your story. Let's make sure it’s worth telling and told well so please reach out and let me help you create something special.
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