Does the cross mean something to you?
When I say “the cross,” I’m not talking about the historical fact of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. I’m talking about the actual cross itself—the t-shaped symbol that graces church walls and Bible covers around the world.
I ask because lately I’ve been wondering if the cross as a symbol still means anything to the average person, Christian or otherwise. The problem with the cross symbol—if I can call it a problem—is that it’s everywhere. It’s on your church sign, on the church wall, on your Bible cover and on your Christian website. It’s incorporated into the logos of countless churches and Christian organizations. It’s on bumper stickers, custom checkbooks, and music CDs. If you asked somebody to draw the “official symbol” of the Christian church, you’d probably get a cross (and maybe that fish symbol, I suppose).
Then, of course, there is the long and varied history of the use of the cross symbol in the thousands of years since Christ’s ministry on earth. The cross has been identified with all manner of human acts and movements throughout history, noble and ignoble alike. The cross we use today is a symbol that carries with it all sorts of conflicting messages.
But it’s not just the church that makes ample use of the cross symbol. Crucifixion symbolism crops up in all manner of movies. It’s been depicted (and desecrated) countless times in artwork, from artsy museum pieces to rock-n-roll album covers. Lately, Madonna and Kanye West became the latest in a long, long string of celebrities to use crucifixion imagery to make confused comparisons of themselves to Jesus.
In fact, it’s the latter fact that caught my attention. Sometime between Kanye West wearing a crown of thorns for a Rolling Stone cover photo and Madonna affixing herself to a giant cross during a concert, I realized that I wasn’t really offended by this sort of foolishness anymore. The cross image is so common that I can no longer really figure out exactly what its use—and even its desecration—is supposed to mean.
In an essay about his novel The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco explained his decision to use that particular title despite the fact that roses do not make any major appearances in the actual novel. Eco, something of an expert on symbols, claimed that he chose the rose as a symbol precisely because its ubiquity has made it meaningless as a symbol. “The rose,” he wrote, “is a symbolic figure so rich in meanings that by now it hardly has any meaning left.” It can symbolize anything you want it to, or nothing at all.
Has the cross reached this state—is it so commonplace that it has no real value as a symbol in 21st-century America? When you see a cross—in a church, in a museum, on a website or a business card—what do you feel? Awe, sorrow, humility, worshipfulness, annoyance, anger, or nothing at all? Has it retained its symbolic power and majesty after so many years of use and misuse? Or is it now just a decoration, one whose historical and cultural baggage actually gets in the way of meditation on Christ’s sacrifice?
What do you think? Am I onto something, or am I over-reacting? And if I’m right, is it too late to restore meaning to this once-powerful, now-commonplace symbol of our faith?
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July 11, 2006 at 19:36
My mother and I had a conversation about this not long ago, about how in the earliest days of the church, the cross would have been a shocking symbol for a new religious sect. The fact that a symbol of someone’s execution was not shameful but a sign of victory was completely novel. It would be like a religion today using the electric chair as its symbol – very disturbing.
July 11, 2006 at 22:33
I still look at the empty cross as something that Jesus did for me. For me it is still something that puts me through a range of emotions when I think about it. I am hurt that people do what they do to the cross, and act like it is nothing. That is very disrespectful and it offends me. If those people were to do something to the Koran, the muslims would be offended and do something about it. Maybe Christians need to take a stand. I think this is far more important than the DaVinci code. Maybe instead of wasting our time fighting something like the DaVinci code we should make a big deal out of what is being done to the cross. I’m guessing that Madonna would not be able to handle being nailed to the cross.
July 11, 2006 at 23:06
I think you are pretty right to say that the world has desecrated the meaning of the cross. So much so that it’s now a pop culture thing (in music, fashion.. everything).
Imho, I dont think we need to sort of save symbol and restore it to its fully glory. Maybe precisely that we’ve overly relied on this symbol to represent/remind us of our faith that God has instituted the things going on in the world to strip away our disorted perception of Him?
It’s clear in the OT that God gave Israel the commandments that He should not be represented by anything. Exodus 20:
4”You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
The cross, as we all know, was a device made by the Roman empire to torture their convicts. Thus in the early ages, it would have been too shocking to use it. It was more of what Christ did on the cross that made more impact than the cross (symbol) itself.
Have we put too much emphasis on the cross as an object of symbolism?
For me, I know who my God is. I know that the cross is empty and powerless without the blood of Jesus for our redemption. It could have been something else that Jesus would be put to death – but the cross had to be the one because it was the worst of worst among all tortures.
I know and I take my stand as a believer that this God whom I serve is Yahweh. He has declared in His word that He is the great ‘I AM’. No matter how the world is going to distort or degrad that cross – the scarifice made on the cross cannot never be degraded by the ignorant attempts made by the fallen world.
July 12, 2006 at 00:00
Interesting topic. As one who happens to attend a church that does not rely heavily on cross imagery, I take the most from the fact that what should mean more to me is that I have a new heart, not some manmade symbolism to stare at.
That said, visual reminders aren’t to be totally dismissed. I just think there’s an over-reliance on them from time to time.
July 12, 2006 at 00:17
Once, when I was twelve, a brother in Christ was wearing a big Cross around his neck. I thought it was so cool at the time. I told him so. He said, “Would you like to have it?” and I jumped at the chance to possess that shiny, nickel plated Cross necklace. When I said yes, he immediately took it off and placed it around my neck. I will never forget that. He gave that Cross of his away so freely, just like Jesus did. It took me years to comprehend this.
The Cross reminds me of the price Christ paid for my redemption. I remember by it His love for me and all mankind. When I see a Cross, I feel deeply moved—it makes me want to be a better, more mindful Christian. I feel amazed that I am truly forgiven. I feel homesick sometimes when I see a Cross—this life is pain-wracked, not only for me,but for millions who live devastated, fear-filled lives – and it is only getting worse. I want to be with Jesus when I see a Cross.
When I see the Cross on a car, or a notebook, or a necklace,I think, “Look, a brother/sister is here,” and I feel joy; this cold world is a little warmer.
July 12, 2006 at 01:45
1 Corinthians 1:18
(NKJV)
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
July 12, 2006 at 06:16
I agree with JT. The reason for the commandment in Exodus 20 was so that we wouldn’t come to rely on any symbol to represent Him. He is too big for a symbol.
We wouldn’t be able to “save” the image anyway. The more we yell that people are desecrating it, the more they will want to do it. We need to just understand that that is the way of the world—and of Satan. The more we push our “rights”, the more the world will want to trample them. We will yell louder, and the world will stop listening, and Satan will cheer. We should remember Phil 2:5-11:
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
It’s not our job to force the world to show respect for Christ (and definitely not to a piece of wood). He didn’t spend his life forcing people to respect him, he humbled himself to that cross. Eventually the world WILL bow to Jesus because of his humility on that cross, and we will rest in the knowledge that we followed his example.
July 12, 2006 at 07:24
There’s a great scene in the Fox TX show Arrested Development in which one of the characters tries to pass herself off as “religious” and asks where she can buy “one of those necklaces with the little T.” (Another character promptly replies, “You mean a cross?”) Our culture is a little over the top with crosses, but is it more so than Europe during the Middle Ages? Whenever every country’s flag, every soldier’s shield, and every large building displayed a cross? I’m not sure.
Symbols are important because they carry a great deal of meaning in a very compact package. How many words would it take to describe everything that a cross hanging on the wall of a church symbolizes? Personally, I use the cross at my church as a focal point for my thoughts during the Lord’s Supper, to remember what Christ did for me and what the cup and bread (more symbols!) mean.
Churches should explore ways to make the cross and other Christian symbols more meaningful. The impact of the cross is definitely diluted by Kanye West and Madonna. Our response should not be to abandon the symbols core to our faith, but rather to define and display them appropriately, in a context that makes their true meaning more concrete.
July 12, 2006 at 07:41
I had a very similar conversation recently about what is so remarkable about the gospel. Does the phrase “Jesus died for your sins” still mean anything or is it just a tired phrase that people in the church use to hide behind. Most of the conversation came from reading Seth Godin’s book The Purple Cow. He takes a line of thinking that with so many media messages out there (cows) that it would take a purple cow to be remarkable.
Either way, I don’t think that the cross is a remarkable symbol for most people and for many it just represents an organization that hurt them or is just closed minded and judgmental. I think that we of the present day church have a lot of ground to make up in the connotative meanings of our religion and the outward workings of or faith.
July 12, 2006 at 11:03
I have been talking about this with my Christian friend alot lately to. Now as part of a more liberal minded denomination, and being more liberal minded all in all I feel that the symbol of the cross has not been overused or has no meaning any longer. Let me argue with the point that even the term symbol takes away from the actual cross itself. The symbol of the cross is just that a symbol. WHeather used by Madonna or used it a church it is symbolic and has no real “holiness”.
I fact I would argue that there should be less use of the symbol of the cross in churches. I feel as important as the cross is, it is not nearly as important as the empty grave and the sins forgiven.
July 12, 2006 at 11:13
You’re right, Conrad. I think so much of our terminology in the church can lose its meaning with repetition. The phrase “accept Jesus into your heart” is similar. It doesn’t mean much to someone who hasn’t experienced it. The same is true of our symbols. But the phrases and symbols can be useful to us: a personal short-hand if you will. We just need to know that they won’t mean as much to someone without the Holy Spirit.
My 4-year-old asked me about the large cross outside our church a few months ago. She wanted to know if it was the cross that Jesus died on. As I was trying to explain to her that it is just a picture of Jesus’ sacrifice, I couldn’t help but tear up.
A non-believer will never be able to understand the meaning of that to me. That doesn’t mean that we give the symbol up (or the phrases that touch us), but we must realize that those are for us not for the world. We must find other ways to communicate to them.
July 12, 2006 at 11:20
The distinction must be made between an “idol” and a symbol. We are not to make idols, which are physical representations of false gods (the golden calf). Remember that God commanded the Israelites to use Cherubim on the lid of the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25) and the imagery used in the building of the Temple, with the cherubim, cattle, trees, and flowers, and how God consecrated the Temple after its dedication (1 Kings 9). So it is obvious that merely creating imagery of things of the heavens, earth or sea is not inherently sinful. Quite the contrary. The sin is in praying to those idols.
I have to think that the desecration of Christian symbols by others is just another part of the persecution and mockery Jesus told us about. Does Madonna’s desecration of the cross lessen its meaning to me? No, only to the fallen world. But our God is an awesome God, and he has the power to move on people’s hearts to harden or soften them. And since we know He moves in mysterious ways, it could just be that some people who would be borderline “Christians” would look at what someone like Madonna has done and make a final decision that they are disgusted with society and turn to the Cross seeking salvation.
Think of the American flag. Does someone from China find offense if a Palestinian burns it in effigy? Probably not. They attribute nothing more to it than the fact that it is a symbol of the US. It probably would mean nothing to some Americans. But if you are an “American patriot” you would be offended. The symbol is only as important as what we attribute to it. To me, the cross is sacred and always will be.
July 12, 2006 at 11:41
I blogged about the cross icon and its use in worship a couple weeks ago:
http://www.timschmoyer.com/2006/06/26/church-worship-and-icons/
It seems to me that our salvation is dependant on the resurrection, that Christ defeated both spiritual and physical death (the penalty for our sin) when He rose from the dead. If my Savior was just another dead guy like any other religious leader, then it seems that Christianity wouldn’t be here. I’d like to see so many icons of the cross balanced with icons of an empty tomb.
July 12, 2006 at 11:58
I don’t always feel it but whenever I see a cross on a business card or business I feel that I may be taken advantage of. I hope it is not the norm but I have experienced poor work/service from “one brother to another” as if it is OK because we have the same faith. OR I feel I may encounted some lout who will try to witness to me in a rude way, once inside my house. Tacky use IMO. Kemper Crab has an interesting article series going in HM (hard music magazine) about US using the world’s symbols to testify to Christ. You have to read it yourself. A teaser. When the people left Egypt-what did they do with the jewelry (pagan decorations) that their captors gave them?
July 12, 2006 at 14:17
Andy, thanks for the meaningful, thought provoking post. The fact that the cross has lost its significance as a meaningful Christian symbol in our society is regretful. However, reclaiming it as a symbol in society should be of secondary concern. Far more important, is the recovery of an understanding of the cross, first among Christians and then in the broader society.
The cross isn’t just another Christian symbol, it is the central symbol because it is the essence of the gospel. It speaks of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us. It has thrived and survived as the central symbol because Christians through the ages recognized the work of Christ on the cross as the centerpiece of the gospel.
John Stott in his book “Cross of Christ” covers briefly how the cross emerged as the central symbol but more importantly, describes the significance of Christ’s work of atonement through his death on the cross. I highly recommend it.
July 12, 2006 at 14:21
1 Corinthians 1:18
(NKJV)
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Yes! That’s it for me. Each time i see the cross, i see the power of God and the influence He can have in my life, if only I let Him take over.
The cross is close to my heart because it’s a humbling reminder of God’s sacrifice for us and of the fact that we are saved inspite of our sinfulness. The cross symbolizes God’s eternal and unconditional love for us.
July 12, 2006 at 20:42
More important than anything else, and what we really see in Paul’s epistles is the emphasis on the MESSAGE of the cross, not the actual symbol itself. The cross of christ, meaning its message and its representation, is the evidence that will ultimately save us or doom us to judgement. You see, the cross itself is evidence to the perfect sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, and its message is that he ENDURED the cross and as a result we are saved by faith if we believe in the atonement and are doomed if we are ignorant or negligent of what happened there.
Paul said, “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who perish, but it is the power of God to those who are being saved”. Notice that he didn’t say the symbol, but the MESSAGE. (1 Cor. 1:18)
July 13, 2006 at 07:59
I agree with “the other James”: The cross can have unexpected consequences. In C.S. Lewis’s book “That Hideous Strength,” a man is made to stand in a room where everything is just wrong (i.e. the walls are not perpendicular, etc.) when taken out of that room he is told to step on the cross. He had been an atheist, but when he saw the cross there, he realized there must be significance to it since he was being told to walk on it. Very interesting!
July 13, 2006 at 16:07
Bravo.. This has needed to be said for quite some time. Bravo to all comenters, all of whom are on the right path. Ecco—read the book. Symbols, we all intrinsically understand to be crucial. The cross in San Diego, California that we fight for. Why? Because of the atheist in the C.S. Lewis room. Symbol and meaning. When crosses are seen in popular culture, wether that be a music video, or the everyday experience with another person that displays a cross hanging on their neck, it says Christ, crucifixion, salvation, redemtion but agaisnt a backdrop of sensuality, wealth and power. For those of us that know him, the cross will be emblazone in our hearts.
It should be our hope that the cross has become a symbol now as ubiquous as the rose. For ‘they will know that we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes They’ll know we are Christians by our love.’ To quote an old hymn.
July 14, 2006 at 06:57
Greetings to all in Jesus Name: I would just like to first say that I totally agree with all about the comments on “The Cross”. To me it is very emotional and spiritual to my heart and soul; but as we all should know and realize that the majority of the people that are using “The Cross” in the wrong manner of ways are probably very confussed and do not really know which direction they should even be going in.
Just wondering, has any one every really taken the time to stop any of the people or written them a letter and actually asked them what “The Cross” actually means to them?
You see, Jesus did not come into this world to condemn, but rather to seek and save that which is lost, and that is what he has chosen for his children (us) to do aslo for him. Maybe instead of immediately passing judgement and condemn, which is not our place to begin with, we should take time out and pray for them and the next time we come across someone of that nature just ask them what does that symbol”The Cross” mean to them. For we are to love our brother and sister as ourself and pray one for another. Come on fellow christians help me out we have to witness to those that are lost in the world or that are just trying to wear the name of being a christian.
There is soooo mus more to actually being a christian than just a name!!! It is a job that means you are going to be HATED by those that ttremble at the very sound of the name of JESUS. If your life is going just fine and dandy , then I suggest to take a look at your spiritul fruit that you are baring because, things might night be right in your backyard and we must get our own fruit fertilized before we can minister to or witness to any one else. Also by all means we must be in the spirit at all times.
May you all be blessed, and I love and pray for all the needs and articles/comments that come across. I just pray that I have not offened any one, but that I have helped some one to maybe better understand that we must not forget we were lost and outdone in this dying world at one time and someone prayed and ministered to us, now it is our turn to reachout and help those that we can see in the spirit and leave our flesh out of it.
GOD BLESS ALL
July 14, 2006 at 11:11
Here are lyrics from Delirious, a Christian music group. They are one of my favorite groups and sing one of my favorite songs -”Message Of The Cross”. To me, these lyrics send a good message and meaning of the cross.
This is the message of the cross, that we can be free
To live in the victory, and turn from our sin
My precious Lord, Jesus, with sinners You died
For there you revealed Your love and you laid down Your life
This is the message of the cross, that we can be free
To lay all our burdens here, at the foot of the tree
The cross was the shame of the world, but the glory of God
For Jesus, you conquered sin and you gave us new life
You set me free when I came to the cross
Poured out Your blood for I was broken and lost
There I was healed and You covered my sin
It’s there You saved me, this is the message of the cross
This is the message of the cross, that we can be free
To hunger for heaven, to hunger for Thee
“The cross is such foolishness to the perishing
But to us who are being saved it is the power of God”
You set us free when we come to the cross
You pour out Your blood for we are broken and lost
Here we are healed and You cover out sin
It’s here You save us
July 16, 2006 at 03:44
Andy, I do not think that you are overreacting. Much as l do not dwell on symbols, I feel really sad sometimes when I see how much the message of the cross has been trivialized. In Nigeria, where I come from, religious fanatics feel it’s a way to distinguish themselves from others, others think it’s a modest piece of jewelry which says-’I know about this Jesus’.
In all of these, you find it hard to make out the MESSAGE of the Cross- Amazing Grace.
In our little ways, I think we should be more concerned with communicating the message. That may restore the glory of the symbol.
God bless you all.
July 19, 2006 at 09:39
What doesn’t our culture suck the life out of? What song hasn’t our community driven into the ground? Pop Culture loves to rape subjects of their meaning till there is nothing left and then move on to the next feeding. It reminds me of what my dad said about a car we looked at buying once, “they ran it hard and put it to bed wet”. To ask has our culture lost the meaning of the symbol of “cross” is in itself a characteristic of our lifestyles.
A scripture comes to mind though “let your light shine before men”. I can only imagine that all cultures, all mankind has abused his surroundings over history. Since the fall we have been making horrible choices that aren’t how it was suppose to be, but the cross is a symbol that won’t loose its meaning if the generations continue to share the “true meaning” to the next generations. Once a generation experiences the “Cross of Jesus” vs. the “cross” they will never be the same and a cross will never be just a twisted X to fight Vampires.
July 19, 2006 at 13:02
I believe that the catholic congregation still recognizes the cross more then any religion their is and so do i.I look at the cross slight diffrence don’t we all. When i look at the cross i see in people and wonder how big is they cross is it i just found out that i have cancer/i have to paid my rent or else i might lose my home or i need to wash clothes and my legs hurt so bad i can’t. Saying that to say this it depends on how you look at the cross that you bare and think about the cross that jesus bare and really look at your cross and how much do you bare the cross can be look at every day depending on if you are looking for the cross or if you see it at all. So that’s how i recongnize the cross.because after all he did paid the price for our sin . And i don’t look at it as a synmbol
July 19, 2006 at 17:18
I saw the christian film The Passion of the Christ, and I recall how graphic and realistic the torture appeared to be. I quote this phrase from Christ, “I make all things New”, and that is the reality of the Cross. We lay our Sin and imperfections at the foot of our Savior and are clothed in pure,white robes.
If a man keeps my Word, he will never see death
John 8:51