Christian cross - Wikipedia

The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the crucifixion of Jesus on a large wooden cross, is a renowned symbol of Christianity. Christiancross FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch SymbolofChristianity AtypicalLatincross AtypicalGreekCross PartofaseriesonChristianity JesusChrist Nativity Ministry Crucifixion Resurrection Ascension BibleFoundations OldTestament NewTestament Gospel Canon Church Creed NewCovenant Theology God Trinity Father Son HolySpirit Apologetics Baptism Christology Historyoftheology Mission Salvation HistoryTradition Apostles Peter Paul Mary EarlyChristianity ChurchFathers Constantine Councils Augustine East–WestSchism Crusadingmovement Crusades Aquinas Reformation Luther DenominationsGroups Western WesternCatholic Protestant Adventist Anabaptist Anglican Baptist Evangelical Holiness Lutheran Methodist Moravian Pentecostal Quaker Reformed Eastern EasternCatholic EasternOrthodox EasternProtestant OrientalOrthodox ChurchoftheEast(Nestorian) Restorationist Jehovah'sWitness LatterDaySaint IglesianiCristo Relatedtopics Criticism Culture Ecumenism Glossary Index Otherreligions Outline Prayer Sermon Symbolism Worship Glossary Index Outline  Christianityportalvte TheChristiancross,seenasarepresentationofthecrucifixionofJesusonalargewoodencross,isarenownedsymbolofChristianity.[1]Itisrelatedtothecrucifix(acrossthatincludesacorpus,usuallyathree-dimensionalrepresentationofJesus'body)andtothemoregeneralfamilyofcrosssymbols,thetermcrossitselfbeingdetachedfromtheoriginalspecificallyChristianmeaninginmodernEnglish(asinmanyotherwesternlanguages).[note1] ThebasicformsofthecrossaretheLatincrosswithunequalarmsandtheGreekcrosswithequalarms,besidesnumerousvariants,partlywithconfessionalsignificance,suchasthetaucross,thedouble-barredcross,triple-barredcross,cross-and-crosslets,andmanyheraldicvariants,suchasthecrosspotent,crosspattée,crossmoline,crossfleury,etc. Forafewcenturies,theemblemofChristwasaheadlessT-shapedTaucrossratherthanaLatincross.ElworthyconsideredthistooriginatefromPaganDruidswhomadeTaucrossesofoaktreesstrippedoftheirbranches,withtwolargelimbsfastenedatthetoptorepresentaman'sarm;thiswasThau,orgod.[2] Contents 1Pre-Christiansymbolism 2InstrumentofJesus'execution 3EarlyChristianusage 4IncontemporaryChristianity 5Rejectionamongvariousreligiousgroups 6Notableindividualcrosses 7Seealso 8Notes 9References 10Externallinks Pre-Christiansymbolism[edit] AversionofthecrosssymbolwasusedlongbeforetheChristianeraintheformoftheancientEgyptianankh.[3] InstrumentofJesus'execution[edit] Furtherinformation:InstrumentofJesus'crucifixion,Descriptionsinantiquityoftheexecutioncross,Cruxsimplex,andTaucross JohnPearson,BishopofChester(c.1660)wroteinhiscommentaryontheApostles'CreedthattheGreekwordstaurosoriginallysignified"astraightstandingStake,Pale,orPalisador",butthat,"whenothertransverseorprominentpartswereaddedinaperfectCross,itretainedstilltheOriginalName",andhedeclared:"TheFormthenoftheCrossonwhichourSavioursufferedwasnotasimple,butacompounded,Figure,accordingtotheCustomoftheRomans,bywhoseProcuratorhewascondemnedtodie.InwhichtherewasnotonlyastraightanderectedpieceofWoodfixedintheEarth,butalsoatransverseBeamfasteneduntothattowardsthetopthereof".[4] EarlyChristianusage[edit] Seealso:Christiansymbolism§ EarlyChristiansymbols TheAlexamenosgraffito TheSinaiiconofChristPantocrator(6thcentury),showingChristwithacruciformhaloandholdingabookadornedwithacruxgemmata Therearefewextantexamplesofthecrossin2ndcenturyChristianiconography.IthasbeenarguedthatChristianswerereluctanttouseitasitdepictsapurposelypainfulandgruesomemethodofpublicexecution.[1]Asymbolsimilartothecross,thestaurogram,wasusedtoabbreviatetheGreekwordforcrossinveryearlyNewTestamentmanuscriptssuchasP66,P45andP75,almostlikeanomensacrum.[5]TheextensiveadoptionofthecrossasaChristianiconographicsymbolarosefromthe4thcentury.[6] However,thecrosssymbolwasalreadyassociatedwithChristiansinthe2ndcentury,asisindicatedintheanti-ChristianargumentscitedintheOctavius[7]ofMinuciusFelix,chaptersIXandXXIX,writtenattheendofthatcenturyorthebeginningofthenext,[note2]andbythefactthatbytheearly3rdcenturythecrosshadbecomesocloselyassociatedwithChristthatClementofAlexandria,whodiedbetween211and216,couldwithoutfearofambiguityusethephraseτὸκυριακὸνσημεῖον(theLord'ssign)tomeanthecross,whenherepeatedtheidea,currentasearlyastheapocryphalEpistleofBarnabas,thatthenumber318(inGreeknumerals,ΤΙΗ)inGenesis14:14wasinterpretedasaforeshadowing(a"type")ofthecross(T,anuprightwithcrossbar,standingfor300)andofJesus(ΙΗ,thefirsttwolettersofhisnameΙΗΣΟΥΣ,standingfor18).[9]HiscontemporaryTertullianrejectedtheaccusationofChristiansbeing"adorersofthegibbet"(crucisreligiosi).[note3]InhisbookDeCorona,writtenin204,TertulliantellshowitwasalreadyatraditionforChristianstotracerepeatedlyontheirforeheadsthesignofthecross.[note4]Thecrucifix,acrossuponwhichanimageofChristispresent,isnotknowntohavebeenuseduntilthe6thcenturyAD.[12] TheoldestextantdepictionoftheexecutionofJesusinanymediumseemstobethesecond-centuryorearlythird-centuryreliefonajaspergemstonemeantforuseasanamulet,whichisnowintheBritishMuseuminLondon.ItportraysanakedbeardedmanwhosearmsaretiedatthewristsbyshortstripstothetransomofaT-shapedcross.AninscriptioninGreekontheobversecontainsaninvocationoftheredeemingcrucifiedChrist.OnthereversealaterinscriptionbyadifferenthandcombinesmagicalformulaewithChristianterms.[13]Thecatalogueofa2007exhibitionsays:"TheappearanceoftheCrucifixiononagemofsuchanearlydatesuggeststhatpicturesofthesubject(nowlost)mayhavebeenwidespreadeveninthelatesecondorearlythirdcentury,mostlikelyinconventionalChristiancontexts".[14][15][16] TheJewishEncyclopediasays:[17] ThecrossasaChristiansymbolor"seal"cameintouseatleastasearlyasthesecondcentury(see"Apost.Const."iii.17;EpistleofBarnabas,xi.-xii.;Justin,"Apologia,"i.55-60;"Dial.cumTryph."85-97);andthemarkingofacrossupontheforeheadandthechestwasregardedasatalismanagainstthepowersofdemons(Tertullian,"DeCorona,"iii.;Cyprian,"Testimonies,"xi.21–22;Lactantius,"DivinæInstitutiones,"iv.27,andelsewhere).AccordinglytheChristianFathershadtodefendthemselves,asearlyasthesecondcentury,againstthechargeofbeingworshipersofthecross,asmaybelearnedfromTertullian,"Apologia,"xii.,xvii.,andMinuciusFelix,"Octavius,"xxix.Christiansusedtoswearbythepowerofthecross IncontemporaryChristianity[edit] Furtherinformation:Crossnecklace TheVaticanObeliskinRome CrossoneachsideoftheMonumentoalDivinoSalvadordelMundopedestal Acrucifixonthewallofachurch AmanholdingseveralEasternOrthodoxpectoralcrosses InChristianity,communicantsoftheOrientalOrthodoxandEasternOrthodoxChurchesareexpectedtowearacrossnecklaceatalltimes;theseareordinarilygiventobelieversattheirbaptism.[18][19] ManyChristians,suchasthoseinthetraditionoftheChurchoftheEast,continuethepracticeofhangingaChristiancrossintheirhomes,oftenontheeastwall.[20][21][22]CrossesorcrucifixesareoftenthecentreofaChristianfamily'shomealtaraswell.[23] Catholics,OrthodoxCatholic,OrientalOrthodox,membersofthemajorbranchesofChristianitywithotheradherentsasLutheranismandAnglicans,andothersoftenmaketheSignoftheCrossuponthemselves.ThiswasalreadyacommonChristianpracticeinthetimeofTertullian.[note4] TheFeastoftheCrossisanimportantChristianfeast.OneofthetwelveGreatFeastsinOrthodoxCatholicistheExaltationoftheCrossonSeptember14,whichcommemoratestheconsecrationofthebasilicaonthesitewheretheoriginalcrossofJesuswasreportedlydiscoveredin326byHelenaofConstantinople,motherofConstantinetheGreat.TheCatholicChurchcelebratesthefeastonthesamedayandunderthesamename(InExaltationeSanctaeCrucis),thoughinEnglishithasbeencalledthefeastoftheTriumphoftheCross. RomanCatholic,EasternOrthodox,LutheranandAnglicanbishopsplaceacross[+]beforetheirnamewhensigningadocument.Thedaggersymbol(†)placedafterthenameofadeadperson(oftenwiththedateofdeath)issometimestakentobeaChristiancross.[24] InmanyChristiantraditions,suchastheMethodistChurches,thealtarcrosssitsatoporissuspendedabovethealtartableandisafocalpointofthechancel.[25] InmanyBaptistchurches,alargecrosshangsabovethebaptistry.[26] Rejectionamongvariousreligiousgroups[edit] ThechancelofthisLutheranchurchfeaturesaverylargealtarcross. AlthoughChristiansacceptedthatthecrosswasthegallowsonwhichJesusdied,[note5]theyhadalreadybeguninthe2ndcenturytouseitasaChristiansymbol.[note6]DuringthefirstthreecenturiesoftheChristianerathecrosswas"asymbolofminorimportance"whencomparedtotheprominencegiventoitlater,[29]butbythesecondcenturyitwascloselyassociatedwithChristians,tothepointwhereChristiansweremockedas"adorersofthegibbet"(crucisreligiosi),anaccusationcounteredbyTertullian.[note3]anditwasalreadyatraditionforChristianstotracerepeatedlyontheirforeheadsthesignofthecross.[note4]MartinLutheratthetimeoftheReformationretainedthecrossandcrucifixintheLutheranChurch,[note7]whichremainsanimportantfeatureofLutherandevotionandworshiptoday.[31][32]Lutherwrote:Cruxsolaestnostratheologia,"Thecrossaloneisourtheology."[33] Ontheotherhand,theGreatIconoclasmwasawaveofrejectingsacredimagesamongCalvinistsofthe16thcentury.[note8]Somelocalities(suchasEngland)includedpolemicsagainstusingthecrossinworship.Forexample,duringthe16thcentury,theologiansintheAnglicanandReformedtraditionsNicholasRidley,[35]JamesCalfhill,[36]andTheodoreBeza,[37]rejectedpracticesthattheydescribedascrossworship.Consideringitaformofidolatry,therewasadisputein16thcenturyEnglandoverthebaptismaluseofthesignofthecrossandeventhepublicuseofcrosses.[38]Thereweremoreactivereactionstoreligiousitemsthatwerethoughtas'relicsofPapacy',ashappenedforexampleinSeptember1641,whenSirRobertHarleypulleddownanddestroyedthecrossatWigmore.[39]Writersduringthe19thcenturyindicatingaPaganoriginofthecrossincludedHenryDanaWard,[40]MourantBrock,[41]andJohnDenhamParsons.[42]DavidWilliams,writingofmedievalimagesofmonsters,says:"Thedisembodiedphallusisalsoformedintoacross,which,beforeitbecameforChristianitythesymbolofsalvation,wasapagansymboloffertility."[43]Thestudy,Gods,Heroes&Kings:TheBattleforMythicBritainstates:"BeforethefourthcenturyCE,thecrosswasnotwidelyembracedasasignofChristianity,symbolizingasitdidthegallowsofacriminal."[44]ThisreactionintheAnglicanandotherReformedChurcheswasshort-livedandthecrossbecameubiquitousintheseChristiantraditions.[45] Jehovah'sWitnessesdonotusethesymbolofthecrossintheirworship,whichtheybelieveconstitutesidolatry.[46]TheybelievethatJesusdiedonasingleuprighttorturestakeratherthanatwo-beamcross,arguingthattheGreektermstaurosindicatedasingleuprightpole.[47]AlthoughearlyWatchTowerSocietypublicationsassociatedwiththeBibleStudentmovementtaughtthatChristwasexecutedonacross,itnolongerappearedonWatchTowerSocietypublicationsafterthenameJehovah'switnesseswasadoptedin1931,[48]anduseofthecrosswasofficiallyabandonedin1936.[49] TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaintsteachesthatJesusdiedonacross;however,theirprophetGordonB.Hinckleystatedthat"forusthecrossisthesymbolofthedyingChrist,whileourmessageisadeclarationofthelivingChrist."Whenaskedwhatwasthesymbolofhisreligion,Hinckleyreplied"thelivesofourpeoplemustbecometheonlymeaningfulexpressionofourfaithand,infact,therefore,thesymbolofourworship."[50][51]ProphetHowardW.HunterencouragedLatter-daySaints"tolooktothetempleoftheLordasthegreatsymbolofyourmembership."[52]ImagesofLDStemplesandtheAngelMoroni(whoisfoundinstatueonmosttemples)arecommonlyusedtosymbolizethefaithofmembersoftheChurchofJesusChristofLatterDaySaints.[53]InApril2020,underPresidentRussellM.Nelson,theChurchformallyadoptedanimageinspiredbyThorvaldsen'sChristusstatueunderlainwiththeChurch'snameasanofficialsymbolofthefaith.[54] Notableindividualcrosses[edit] Furtherinformation:Highcross,Monumentalcrosses,Memorialcross,andMarketcross TheRuthwellCross,astoneAnglo-SaxoncrosslocatedinRuthwell,Dumfriesshire(8thcentury) EasbyCross(9thcentury) Muiredach'sHighCross(10thcentury) VictoryCross,CathedralofSanSalvadorofOviedo(10thcentury) HollyCrosswithwhichthecityofSantaCruzdeTenerifewasfoundedinSpain(1496). CrossofSacrificeorWar Cross,fromaCommonwealthWarGravesCommissioncemetery(1920) AwoodencrossatCoventryCathedral,constructedoftheremnantsofbeamsfoundaftertheCoventryBlitz CrossinValledelosCaídosnearMadrid,thehighestcrossintheworld(JuandeÁvalos1959) TheMillenniumCrossinSkopje,NorthMacedonia,oneofthebiggestcrossesintheworld(2000) TheWorldTradeCenterCrossrisesfromtheWorldTradeCenterwreckage. Gravecrosswithnails-Evros/Greece LatincrossbyGiovanniGuida HandholdingChristiancrossinthecoatofarmsofPärnu Seealso[edit] Christianityportal Atrialcross ChiRho Christiancrossvariants Crossburning CrossofAllNations Crossesinheraldry Ichthys IHMonogram IXMonogram Khachkar Nordiccrossflag Roodmas Roodscreen RoseCross Scientologycross RussianOrthodoxcross Notes[edit] ^OldEnglish(10thcentury)crosreferstotheinstrumentofChrist'scrucifixion,specificallyreplacingthenativeOldEnglishwordrood,ultimatelyfromtheLatincrux(oritsaccusativecrucemanditsgenitivecrucis),"stake,gibbet;cross".TheEnglishverbtocrossarisesfromthenounc.1200,firstinthesense"tomakethesignofthecross";thegenericmeaning"tointersect"developsinthe15thcentury. ^MinuciusFelixspeaksofthecrossofJesusinitsfamiliarform,likeningittoobjectswithacrossbeamortoamanwitharmsoutstretchedinprayer.[8] ^abTertullianrejectstheaccusationthatChristiansarecrucisreligiosi(i.e."adorersofthegibbet"),andreturnstheaccusationbylikeningtheworshipofpaganidolstotheworshipofpolesorstakes.[10]"Then,ifanyofyouthinkwerendersuperstitiousadorationtothecross,inthatadorationheissharerwithus.Ifyouofferhomagetoapieceofwoodatall,itmatterslittlewhatitislikewhenthesubstanceisthesame:itisofnoconsequencetheform,ifyouhavetheverybodyofthegod.AndyethowfardoestheAthenianPallasdifferfromthestockofthecross,orthePharianCeresassheisputupuncarvedtosale,amereroughstakeandpieceofshapelesswood?Everystakefixedinanuprightpositionisaportionofthecross;werenderouradoration,ifyouwillhaveitso,toagodentireandcomplete.Wehaveshownbeforethatyourdeitiesarederivedfromshapesmodelledfromthecross."Sedetquicrucisnosreligiososputat,consecraneusnostererit.Cumlignumaliquodpropitiatur,viderithabitus,dummateriaequalitaseademsit;videritforma,dumidipsumdeicorpussit.EttamenquantodistinguituracrucisstipitePallasAttica,etCeresPharia,quaesineeffigierudipaloetinformilignoprostat?Parscrucisestomnerobur,quoderectastationedefigitur;nos,siforte,integrumettotumdeumcolimus.Diximusoriginemdeorumvestrorumaplastisdecruceinduci. ^abc"Ateveryforwardstepandmovement,ateverygoinginandout,whenweputonourclothesandshoes,whenwebathe,whenwesitattable,whenwelightthelamps,oncouch,onseat,inalltheordinaryactionsofdailylife,wetraceupontheforeheadthesign"[11] ^Theperhaps1st-centuryEpistleofBarnabasseestheletterTasindicatingthecrossofChrist[27] ^TheJewishEncyclopediastates:"ThecrossasaChristiansymbolor'seal'cameintouseatleastasearlyasthe2ndcentury(see'Apost.Const.'iii.17;EpistleofBarnabas,xi.-xii.;Justin,'Apologia,'i.55-60;'Dial.cumTryph.'85-97);andthemarkingofacrossupontheforeheadandthechestwasregardedasatalismanagainstthepowersofdemons(Tertullian,'DeCorona,'iii.;Cyprian,'Testimonies,'xi.21-22;Lactantius,'DivinæInstitutiones,'iv.27,andelsewhere).AccordinglytheChristianFathershadtodefendthemselves,asearlyasthe2ndcentury,againstthechargeofbeingworshipersofthecross,asmaybelearnedfromTertullian,'Apologia,'xii.,xvii.,andMinuciusFelix,'Octavius,'xxix"9[28] ^"TheCalvinizerssoughttoremovethecrucifixasidolatrous.Therewasconsiderablecontinuity,certainly,betweentheLutheranuseofthecrucifixandtheCatholic."[30] ^"IconoclasticincidentsduringtheCalvinist'SecondReformation'inGermanyprovokedreactiveriotsbyLutheranmobs,whileProtestantimage-breakingintheBalticregiondeeplyantagonizedtheneighbouringEasternOrthodox,agroupwithwhomreformersmighthavehopedtomakecommoncause."[34] References[edit] ^abChristianity:anintroductionbyAlisterE.McGrath2006ISBN 1-4051-0901-7pages321-323 ^Elworthy,Frederick(1958).TheEvilEye.NewYork:JulianPress,Inc.pp. 103–4. ^"Cross|Definition,Symbolism,Types,&History|Britannica". ^Chester.),JohnPearson(bpof(January5,1715)."Anexpositionofthe[Apostles']Creed"–viaGoogleBooks. ^Hutado,Larry(2006)."ThestaurograminearlyChristianmanuscripts:theearliestvisualreferencetothecrucifiedJesus?".InKraus,Thomas(ed.).NewTestamentManuscripts.Leiden:Brill.pp. 207–26.hdl:1842/1204.ISBN 978-90-04-14945-8. ^Stranger,James(2007)."ArcheologicalevidenceofJewishbelievers?".InSkarsaune,Oskar(ed.).JewishBelieversinJesusTheEarlyCenturies.City:BakerAcademic.p. 715.ISBN 9780801047688. ^"Octavius".Ccel.org.2005-06-01.Retrieved2011-12-10. ^OctaviusofMinuciusFelix,chapterXXIX] ^"Stromata,bookVI,chapterXI".Earlychristianwritings.com.2006-02-02.Retrieved2011-12-10. ^"CHURCHFATHERS:Apology(Tertullian)".www.newadvent.org. ^Tertullian."3".DeCorona. ^Stott,John(2006).TheCrossofChrist(20thAnniversary ed.).DownersGrove:InterVarsityPress.p. 27.ISBN 0-8308-3320-X. ^Kotansky,Roy(January1,2017)."TheMagic'CrucifixionGem'intheBritishMuseum".Greek,Roman,andByzantineStudies–viawww.academia.edu. ^Harley-McGowan,Felicity."TheCrucifixion"–viawww.academia.edu.{{citejournal}}:Citejournalrequires|journal=(help) ^"Earliestcrucifixes:FirstdepictionofJesusoncross-theBloodstoneamulet".September10,2014. ^"BritishMuseumCollectiononline:magicalgem/intaglio". ^"JewishEncyclopedia".JewishEncyclopedia.Retrieved2011-12-10.,(seeApocalypseofMary,viii.,inJames,"TextsandStudies,"iii.118). ^Samaan,Moses(25August2010)."WhowearstheCrossandwhen?".CopticOrthodoxDioceseofLosAngeles,SouthernCalifornia,andHawaii.Retrieved18August2020. ^Konstantopoulos,GeorgeD.(18September2017)."AllOrthodoxChristiansareGivenaCrossFollowingTheirBaptismtoWearforLife".St.AndrewGreekOrthodoxChurch.Archivedfromtheoriginalon3October2020.Retrieved18August2020. ^"SignoftheCross".HolyApostolicCatholicAssyrianChurchoftheEast-ArchdioceseofAustralia,NewZealandandLebanon.HolyApostolicCatholicAssyrianChurchoftheEast-ArchdioceseofAustralia,NewZealandandLebanon.Archivedfromtheoriginalon14April2020.Retrieved11August2020.Insidetheirhomes,acrossisplacedontheeasternwallofthefirstroom.Ifoneseesacrossinahouseanddonotfindacrucifixorpictures,itisalmostcertainthattheparticularfamilybelongstotheChurchoftheEast. ^Danielou,Jean(2016).Origen.WipfandStockPublishers.p. 29.ISBN 978-1-4982-9023-4.PetersonquotesapassagefromtheActsofHipparchusandPhilotheus:"InHipparchus'shousetherewasaspeciallydecoratedroomandacrosswaspaintedontheeastwallofit.Therebeforetheimageofthecross,theyusedtoprayseventimesaday...withtheirfacesturnedtotheeast."ItiseasytoseetheimportanceofthispassagewhenyoucompareitwithwhatOrigensays.Thecustomofturningtowardstherisingsunwhenprayinghadbeenreplacedbythehabitofturningtowardstheeastwall.ThiswefindinOrigen.Fromtheotherpassageweseethatacrosshadbeenpaintedonthewalltoshowwhichwastheeast.HencetheoriginofthepracticeofhangingcrucifixesonthewallsoftheprivateroomsinChristianhouses.WeknowtoothatsignswereputupintheJewishsynagoguestoshowthedirectionofJerusalem,becausetheJewsturnedthatwaywhentheysaidtheirprayers.ThequestionoftheproperwaytofaceforprayerhasalwaysbeenofgreatimportanceintheEast.ItisworthrememberingthatMohammedanspraywiththeirfacesturnedtowardsMeccaandthatonereasonforthecondemnationofAlHallaj,theMohammedanmartyr,wasthatherefusedtoconformtothispractice. ^Charles,Steve(24March2002)."AmongtheLivingMaya".WabashMagazine.WabashCollege.Retrieved11August2020.InChamula,ancientMayanbeliefsminglewithRomanCatholicism—the"syncretism"we'vebeenobservinginvariousformssincewearrivedinMexico—toformthecostumbresofthesedescendantsoftheMaya.AcrossisplacedontheeasternwallofeveryMayanhometocommemoratetherisenChristandtherisingsun;onthepatioanothercrossfaceswesttosalutethesun'spassagebelowtheearth. ^Nelson,PaulA."HomeAltars".ImmanuelLutheranChurch.Retrieved14April2018. ^KeithHouston,ShadyCharacters(W.W.Norton&Company2013ISBN 978-0-39306442-1),pp.97and106 ^TheHistoryoftheFirstUnitedMethodistChurchofCuyahogaFalls,Ohio,1830-1969.F.W.OrthCompany.1968.p. 134.ThecrosssuspendedoverthealtaristhefocalpointoftheentireChurchinterior,andremindsustocenterourlivesinChrist. ^Betteridge,Alan(1August2010).DeepRoots,LivingBranches:AHistoryofBaptistsintheEnglishWesternMidlands.TroubadorPublishingLtd.p. 446.ISBN 9781848762770. ^Chapter9,7 ^"CROSS-JewishEncyclopedia.com".jewishencyclopedia.com. ^JanWillemDrijvers,HelenaAugusta:ThemotherofConstantinetheGreatandthelegendofherfindingoftheTrueCross,Brill1992,p.81. ^Obelkevich,James;Roper,Lyndal(5November2013).DisciplinesofFaith:StudiesinReligion,PoliticsandPatriarchy.Routledge.p. 548.ISBN 9781136820793. ^Heal,Bridget(2017).AMagnificentFaith:ArtandIdentityinLutheranGermany.OxfordUniversityPress.p. 270.ISBN 9780198737575.Itwas,however,thecrucifixthatbecamethemostimportantandwidelydisseminatedLutherandevotionalimage. ^TheLutheranWitness,Volume81.ConcordiaPublishingHouse.1962.p. 280.Lutheranshavealwaysusedcrucifixesandcrosses,candles,andobjectsofsacredart. ^Kolb,Robert;Dingel,Irene;Batka,Lubomír(24April2014).TheOxfordHandbookofMartinLuther'sTheology.OxfordUniversityPress.pp. 208–.ISBN 9780191667473. ^Marshall,Peter(22October2009).TheReformation.OxfordUniversityPress.p. 114.ISBN 9780191578885. ^NicholasRidley,ATreatiseontheWorshipofImages,writtenbefore1555. ^JamesCalfhill,AnaunsvveretotheTreatiseofthecrosse(AnanswertoJohnMartiall'sTreatiseofthecross)at1565. ^TheodoreBeza,inhisAnswertotheColloquiumofMontheliardat1588,accordingtoJaroslavPelikan,TheChristianTradition:AHistoryoftheDevelopmentofDoctrine,Vol.4,UniversityofChicagoPress1985,p.217. ^PeterBlickle,MachtundOhnmachtderBilder.:ReformatorischerBildersturmimKontextdereuropäischenGeschichte,OldenbourgVerlag,2002,pp.253-272. ^ReligiousPoliticsinPost-ReformationEngland:EssaysinHonourofNicholasTyacke,Boydell&Brewer,2006,p.26. ^HenryDanaWard,Historyofthecross,thepaganorigin,andidolatrousadoptionandworshipoftheimage,at1871. ^MourantBrock,Thecross,heathenandChristian:AfragmentarynoticeofitsearlypaganexistenceandsubsequentChristianadoption,London1879. ^JohnDenhamParsons,Thenon-Christiancross;anenquiryintotheoriginandhistoryofthesymboleventuallyadoptedasthatofourreligion,at1896. ^DavidWilliams,DeformedDiscourse:ThefunctionoftheMonsterinMediaevalthoughtandliterature,McGill-Queen'sPress1999,p.161. ^ChristopherR.Fee&DavidAdamsLeeming,Gods,Heroes&Kings:ThebattleformythicBritain,OxfordUniversityPress,2001,p.113. ^NewInternationalEncyclopedia.Dodd,MeadAndCompany.1914.p. 298. ^WhatDoestheBibleReallyTeach?.WatchTowerSociety.pp. 204–205. ^NewWorldTranslationoftheHolyScriptures,appendix5C,page1577 ^Franz2007,p. 150harvnberror:notarget:CITEREFFranz2007(help) ^"Riches,byJ.F.Rutherford,WatchTowerBible&TractSociety,1936,page27". ^Hinckley,GordonB(May1975)."TheSymbolofChrist".Ensign. ^Hinckley,GordonB(April2005)."TheSymbolofOurFaith".Ensign. ^Hunter,HowardW.(November1994)."ExceedingGreatandPreciousPromises".Ensign. ^McKeever,Bill."WhyNoCrosses?".MormonismResearchMinistry.Retrieved1April2013. ^"TheChurch'sNewSymbolEmphasizestheCentralityoftheSavior".ChurchofJesusChristNewsroom.April4,2020.RetrievedAugust12,2020. PhilipSchaff,HistoryoftheChristianChurch,ch.6,"ChristianArt:§77.TheCrossandtheCrucifix"(1910ed.[1858–1890]) WilliamWoodSeymour,TheCrossinTradition,HistoryandArt(1898). Externallinks[edit] EncyclopaediaBritannicaarticleCross:religioussymbol,withaclearersystematicpresentationandchronologyofChristianandpre-Christianuse Wikisourcehasthetextofthe1913CatholicEncyclopediaarticleArchæologyoftheCrossandCrucifix. Wikisourcehasthetextofthe1913CatholicEncyclopediaarticleTheCrossandCrucifixinLiturgy. WikiquotehasquotationsrelatedtoChristiancross. 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