The Christian Discussion Thread X: Originally there were 15

[Second Empire of America]

I have a question for the Christians on this board. Why is the Cross the symbol of Christianity? It seems strange to people from other religions, like me, that you use the device the Romans used to crucify your messiah as your religion's symbol.

[Lord Dominator]

I have a question for the Christians on this board. Why is the Cross the symbol of Christianity? It seems strange to people from other religions like me, that you use the device the Romans used to crucify your messiah as your religion's symbol.

I'm no expert, but I suspect it has something to do with Jesus' resurrection, and that being a convenient shorthand for "This killed him, but he didn't stay down!"
I suspect Tarsonis knows the actual answer whenever he wanders along though

[Tarsonis]

I have a question for the Christians on this board. Why is the Cross the symbol of Christianity? It seems strange to people from other religions like me, that you use the device the Romans used to crucify your messiah as your religion's symbol.

We don't just use the cross. In fact the non-protestant use the Crucifix, an Icon actually depicting Christ's crucifixion.


The reason being, we don't mourn his death. We celebrate it, and we celebrate his resurrection. We lament that it was necessary for him to die on the Cross, but we are eternally grateful for the blessed Cross, that Christ would shed his own blood upon such an instrument of cruelty for the sins of all man kind. The Cross is made holy by the blood of God that stained it. The cross is the instrument by which Christ completed his passion, dying so the world could have hope for eternal life inside the beatific vision of God. The Cross is a most holy relic, and the Symbol of our message: Christ died and rose again, for your sake.

[Tarsonis]

Meh. It’s also the best to live in, materially speaking.

Materialism is an empty way to live.

I don't think he meant materialism. Just that the world is undoubtably better now, than it was during St. Anthony and St. Athanasius's time.

[Tarsonis]

I'm a Lutheran but I like Catholic people and the Pope.

Why not join us? We got cake.

[Narland]

I have a question for the Christians on this board. Why is the Cross the symbol of Christianity? It seems strange to people from other religions like me, that you use the device the Romans used to crucify your messiah as your religion's symbol.

The Christian cross is a symbol of the Crucifixion; it is an emblem of sacrifice. Jesus himself said that he would be crucified, and that we must take up our cross and follow him if we are to be his disciples. He bore our sins upon a cross to reconcile us back into communion with God. He then proved his divinity with power and glory by raising himself from the dead after being crucified on a cross.

The cross is central to the gospel (good news) that we do not have to die in our trespasses and sins separated from God and condemned to eternal death, but can be transformed by his grace to newness of eternal life. God choose the foolish things of this world (the preaching of the cross) to confound the wisdom of worldly wise (pride). The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. It is a stumbling block to the Jews and offensive to the Gentiles. But it is a display of the power of God for salvation to those who believe.

Matthew 16:24-26; John 3:14-16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 6:6; Hebrews 9:22; 1 Corinthians 20:1-25

[Salus Maior]

Materialism is an empty way to live.

I don't think he meant materialism. Just that the world is undoubtably better now, than it was during St. Anthony and St. Athanasius's time.

Again, materially better. Spiritually lacking.

[Lord Dominator]

I'm a Lutheran but I like Catholic people and the Pope.

Why not join us? We got cake.

We have potlucks

[Marginal Territory]

I have a question for the Christians on this board. Why is the Cross the symbol of Christianity? It seems strange to people from other religions, like me, that you use the device the Romans used to crucify your messiah as your religion's symbol.

Great question! The main reason is because, in Christianity, Jesus' death on the cross is seen as accomplishing the most important work in the whole world- the reconciliation of God and humankind. Through the cross, the barrier of sin which (otherwise insurmountably) separates God from human beings can be broken down. Different Christian groups understand the exact manner in which this happens differently, but certain ideas are generally accepted: that Christ's death was for the forgiveness of sins, that Christ willingly/knowingly faced the cross for our sake, that Christ was divine (the incarnation of God), making it an act of supreme self-sacrifice on God's part, and that the manner in which we benefit from the cross involves a concept called faith. (For some Christians, this means baptism and assent to church dogma, for others it means essentially "trust").
As for exactly why this is, there are three main theories. Catholics and traditional protestants believe that God demanded the death of a "lamb without blemish" as a sacrifice, as a precondition for the forgiveness of human sins. Liberals believe that Christ's death was to bring humans to repentance by demonstrating the extent to which God would go for their sake. Orthodox use several images, but the most common one is probably that Christ's death was a ransom payment to the devil, who had become the master of humanity because humans chose to follow him into sin.

[Greater Cesnica]

I have a question for the Christians on this board. Why is the Cross the symbol of Christianity? It seems strange to people from other religions, like me, that you use the device the Romans used to crucify your messiah as your religion's symbol.

Great question! The main reason is because, in Christianity, Jesus' death on the cross is seen as accomplishing the most important work in the whole world- the reconciliation of God and humankind. Through the cross, the barrier of sin which (otherwise insurmountably) separates God from human beings can be broken down. Different Christian groups understand the exact manner in which this happens differently, but certain ideas are generally accepted: that Christ's death was for the forgiveness of sins, that Christ willingly/knowingly faced the cross for our sake, that Christ was divine (the incarnation of God), making it an act of supreme self-sacrifice on God's part, and that the manner in which we benefit from the cross involves a concept called faith. (For some Christians, this means baptism and assent to church dogma, for others it means essentially "trust").

Oh wow. This takes me back to Grade 9/10 Religion Class.

[Marginal Territory]

Great question! The main reason is because, in Christianity, Jesus' death on the cross is seen as accomplishing the most important work in the whole world- the reconciliation of God and humankind. Through the cross, the barrier of sin which (otherwise insurmountably) separates God from human beings can be broken down. Different Christian groups understand the exact manner in which this happens differently, but certain ideas are generally accepted: that Christ's death was for the forgiveness of sins, that Christ willingly/knowingly faced the cross for our sake, that Christ was divine (the incarnation of God), making it an act of supreme self-sacrifice on God's part, and that the manner in which we benefit from the cross involves a concept called faith. (For some Christians, this means baptism and assent to church dogma, for others it means essentially "trust").

Oh wow. This takes me back to Grade 9/10 Religion Class.

Yeah, this is probably what the answer would be if you asked "What is Christianity" in r/ELI5 . Which is the best subreddit ever, by the way.

[Lost Memories]

I have a question for the Christians on this board. Why is the Cross the symbol of Christianity? It seems strange to people from other religions, like me, that you use the device the Romans used to crucify your messiah as your religion's symbol.

A possible comparison between other religions and christianity, is that in other and older religions it was use to make sacrifices to the god/s, while in christianity it was God to sacrifice himself for humanity. The crucifix or the cross are symbols of that sacrifice.
That sacrifice has meaning, beside the obvious peculiarity of it, because it highlights more traits of God than just the "power", as it was usually in other religions(what was a deity there? like a person, victim of the same mistakes, but with lots of power), God isn't just divinely powerful, but also divinely kind and loving. Which is made clear in Jesus, the power he had was the same as any other human, he was mortal the same, but the love he had was the same as God. God being above humanity not just in power but also in love, gives a wider outlook on human life, because it opens the possibility to think not just about what it means to be more powerful than man, but also what it means to be more loving than man.

[Second Empire of America]

So, the common thread seems to be that the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. Thank you very much for the responses. It's always interesting to learn more about other religions.

[Lord Dominator]

So, the common thread seems to be that the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. Thank you very much for the responses. It's always interesting to learn more about other religions.

You would be most welcome

[Lower Nubia]

I took part in an Anglican Eucharist on the Tuesday, I was expecting something less... Catholic. I had never truly realised that "High church" was Anglo-Catholic rite, definitely didn't start me on a rabbit hole of an internet search for this rite that I never knew existed.

[Stonok]

So, the common thread seems to be that the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. Thank you very much for the responses. It's always interesting to learn more about other religions.

What religion do you affiliate with, if you don't mind?

[Lower Nubia]

So, the common thread seems to be that the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. Thank you very much for the responses. It's always interesting to learn more about other religions.

What religion do you affiliate with, if you don't mind?

I’m technically Baptist, but I disagree in thought to such an extent that I consider myself Higher/ancient Church.

[Tarsonis]

What religion do you affiliate with, if you don't mind?

I’m technically Baptist, but I disagree in thought to such an extent that I consider myself Higher/ancient Church.

Come home to Rome.

[Luminesa]

I took part in an Anglican Eucharist on the Tuesday, I was expecting something less... Catholic. I had never truly realised that "High church" was Anglo-Catholic rite, definitely didn't start me on a rabbit hole of an internet search for this rite that I never knew existed.

>.>

[Lower Nubia]

I’m technically Baptist, but I disagree in thought to such an extent that I consider myself Higher/ancient Church.

Come home to Rome.

Why not play the part with a patriarch?

[Tarsonis]

Come home to Rome.

Why not play the part with a patriarch?

We have a patriarch. THE patriarch.

[Stonok]

What religion do you affiliate with, if you don't mind?

I’m technically Baptist, but I disagree in thought to such an extent that I consider myself Higher/ancient Church.

I was referring to SEA, but I actually find that interesting because I am also a Baptist who has disagreements in thought with most Baptists (I'm not the same sort of Creationist as most Baptists, I don't believe that other denominations are spiritually inferior, I'm not a Dispensationalist, and while I don't think there is a physical change I do believe that the Eucharist holds within it a spiritual power, rather than being purely symbolic) but I agree with the founding premise and hold a great deal of admiration for the stances of historical Baptists so I stick around, at least for now.

[The Archregimancy]

Why not play the part with a patriarch?

We have a patriarch. THE patriarch.

Well, you certainly don't have THE pope.

[Stonok]

We have a patriarch. THE patriarch.

Well, you certainly don't have THE pope.

Oh, Lord, they've done it now.

Time to open the bomb shelter.

[Tarsonis]

We have a patriarch. THE patriarch.

Well, you certainly don't have THE pope.