The cross: A symbol, but of what?

AP via Providence Journal ^ | 3/16/02 | RICHARD N. OSTLING

[LarryLied]

It's the most familiar symbol you can imagine, but ponder for a moment how odd it is that Christians display an "emblem of suffering and shame," as the hymn says.

The cross reminds us that Jesus was executed as a common criminal, hardly the upbeat message a publicist might choose.

Yet two decades after Calvary, the Apostle Paul wrote, "Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14). Under this mysterious emblem, the early Christians vanquished the empire that had crucified Jesus.

The symbol holds 21st-century power. Two days after the World Trade Center attack, a rescue worker wept as he discovered a 20-foot cross -- two fused metal beams buried in the rubble. This cross provided comfort to impromptu worshippers amid the mourning.

Yet the cross is spurned by Christian liberals Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker. They find belief in Jesus' saving death repellent, saying this sanctifies violence and submission to evil.

"To say that Jesus' executioners did what was historically necessary for salvation is to say that state terrorism is a good thing, that torture and murder are the will of God," they say in their book Proverbs of Ashes (Beacon).

Brock, a Harvard Divinity researcher, has chaired the joint global ministries board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ, and was a theology speaker at the Disciples's national assembly last year. Parker is a United Methodist Church minister and president of the Unitarian Universalist seminary in Berkeley, Calif.

Roman Catholic leftist John Dominic Crossan has joined in, hailing the authors' attack upon what he considers "the most unfortunately successful idea in the history of Christian thought." And the current Unitarian Universalist magazine features Brock and Parker in a cover story headlined "Violence and Doctrine: How Christianity Twists the Meaning of Jesus' Death."

"Perfect . . . sacrifice"

By contrast, another current author joins Paul in glorying in the cross. Fleming Rutledge, a traveling Episcopal preacher who lives in Port Chester, N.Y., embraces the Book of Common Prayer's Communion affirmation that Jesus Christ made "a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world."

Rutledge has collected seasonal meditations in her book The Undoing of Death (Eerdmans). Though sermons often fall flat on the printed page, this book is unusually readable devotional fare.

She believes the cross is misunderstood if we forget that Jesus the Son is equally God along with the Father (which liberal Christians and Unitarians deny). And some conservatives portray "a wrathful Father piling condemnation on an innocent, victimized Son. This mistake must be strenuously resisted," she writes.

The heart of the atoning sacrifice on the cross, Rutledge insists, is "the fact that the Father's will and the Son's will are one. This is an action that the Father and the Son are taking together." They are "accomplishing our redemption together," acting in united love for humanity.

However, her Good Friday sermons worry less about such liberal or conservative theories than about people's inclination to pretend their sins aren't all that bad so they have no need of a Savior.

"We do not like to believe that we deserve condemnation," she says.

Some seek to justify themselves by the kind of people they like to think they are -- more moral, sensitive, loving, intelligent, thoughtful, patriotic, fashionable or socially aware than others. Then there's the opposite, people who tell themselves they're more misunderstood, long-suffering and deserving than anyone else.

But Christianity says we're all sinners in the light of God's holiness. Despite sin, Rutledge believes, when Christ looks at someone "he sees a person that he loves more than life, more than glory, more than power, more than riches, more than divinity itself."

She also contends that the cross shows us Christianity is true. The reason? Mere human imagination or wishful thinking would never have concocted "a despised and rejected Messiah."

[RnMomof7]

It WAS because of skin color black people were denied priesthood. You see dark skinned people as decendents of Cain who was cursed with dark skin because of his skin. I know back in 1978 your president had another revelation, but to deny the history is wrong, and dare say I, misleading.

Mal 3:6 For I [am] the LORD, I change not;

Must be another poor translation??

[Revelation 911]

This, my friend, for all the world to see, is quite juvenile arguing tactics. Obviously, you had not the FACTS to counter OP's statements regarding the intentional Jesuit deception on which Arminianism is based, so you resorted to name calling. How profound. It seems to me, that you have demonstrated you willingness to uses any attempt to change the subject of a discussion which is not going the way you wish it to go. I must, therefore, conclude that you have also intentionally misrepresented Mom's and OP's comments when you know full well, they have been explained in context

heheheh - Hey - he knows where Im coming from - Free Grace baby - Wesley made it quite clear - why I need to rehash it with a hammer wielding "christian" eludes me - but if you want to go there - we CAN play that pissing game all day if you want... in the end solving NOTHING - as he - (and apparently you) have no desire to discourse calmly and in a demeanor befitting the subject matter. As for misrepresenting thier comments - Its plainly apparent to all (with open minds) exactly what is happening here. -

I came into that topic with an open mind, got dusted up a bit and ended by offering prayer - just as I did throughout the discourse.

Ive yet to see any real Christ like attitudes in trying to sway me as a "lost" brother - Instead the leg of Calvinism is humped like a frothing pinscher. C'mon - sway me with brotherly love - point being you can't - and for that I'll pray.

Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time ;)

[RnMomof7]

Slander is an act of divine act of grace when it comes from those that hate Calvin...haven't ya figured that out yet?

[Wrigley]

I guess so! What will change next and how will the former belief be hidden?

[RnMomof7]

they have called us Christ haters

We have discussed this via freep mail..and yet you continue to slander me..do you believe lying is a sin? Or is it a non intentional mistake so not something that needs to be confessed?

I will tell you what I told your friend..It was never intended as a general statment but if the shoe fits wear it

OP I have flagged you to this..thought you would like to see the slander Parade on Easter

[Jean Chauvin]

Ward, if you would have originally told me strait up, that you, too, nailed him to the cross. I would have had nothing more to say. Yet, you simply said the you "were there, too....BUT..." All I wanted was for you to admit that you, too, nailed Christ to the cross. I know you knew that is what I was after, but I never heard it until now.

Jean

[Jean Chauvin]

I'm simply waiting for the FACTS to discredit what OP has been arguing.

Yet, your colorful discourse, which may score brownie points on an emotional level, is intellectually bancrupt.

Jean

[Ward Smythe]

I know you knew that is what I was after, but I never heard it until now.

Jean, I'm sorry I didn't use the words you wanted to hear, but I addressed it both publicly and privately.
At least now you have what you were after.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

Ive yet to see any real Christ like attitudes in trying to sway me as a "lost" brother - Instead the leg of Calvinism is humped like a frothing pinscher. C'mon - sway me with brotherly love - point being you can't - and for that I'll pray.

If your brother is hooked on crack cocaine, I hope that you do not show your "love" for him by approving his "lifestyle choice" as being "what works for him, and makes him happy". I hope you instead tell him that what he is doing is dangerous, sinful, and wrong, that he is killing himself by his habit, and that you'd be perfectly happy to throw his stash and all his paraphernalia into the trash compactor, given the chance.

The fabricators of Arminianism referred to it as the "master narcotic" by which they hoped to poison the doctrinal heart-blood of the Reformation Church. And this is the testimony of men who promulgated Arminianism, not its opponents!! You do not show "love" for your brother by speaking approvingly of his addiction to religious crack-cocaine.

You tell him straightaway that he has been addicted to poison, that to continue to suckle upon its lies is a kind of Sin, and that he cannot serve two Masters, the Sovereign Christ and "the Soveraigne Drugge Arminianism". You tell him he must renounce the Arminian lies which he has been fed.

That is the Loving thing to do.

That is the ONLY Loving thing to do.

[Revelation 911]

"the Soveraigne Drugge Arminianism".

yes yes -weve heard it no less than five or six times - Instead of telling me how wrong I am - tell me why Calvinism is right - sell me on Calvinism - so far all Ive heard is Arminian bashing and how wrong Arminian theology is. Sell it to me without denigrating the other

As for you Jean - please feel free to join him, I am willing to listen with an open mind - which is precisely what I said originally.

[restornu]

How many gods met in counsel to make the decision to make the earth WM? You can not have it both ways...say the trinity is a council of gods and there is only one god..

26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Who is the Lord talking to?
Who is us?
Who is our?

[CCWoody]

As for you Jean - please feel free to join him, I am willing to listen with an open mind - which is precisely what I said originally.

Meanwhile, earlier...

heheheh - Hey - he knows where Im coming from - Free Grace baby - Wesley made it quite clear - why I need to rehash it with a hammer wielding "christian" eludes me - but if you want to go there - we CAN play that pissing game all day if you want... in the end solving NOTHING - as he - (and apparently you) have no desire to discourse calmly and in a demeanor befitting the subject matter. As for misrepresenting thier comments - Its plainly apparent to all (with open minds) exactly what is happening here. - Revelation 911

Actually, it sounds like you would rather listen to Wesley over even say, the Bible. BTW, I loved your allusion that we Calvinist are just dogs humped up on your leg; frothing at the mouth even.

[CCWoody]

Who is the Lord talking to?

Evidently a whole pantheon council of gods according to you mormons. Acording to us Christians, it is God that is talking to God; you know the Ancient of Days whom you deny.

Why don't you go show RnMom and us saints of God the "real" translation that you hide in the Pearl of Great Price.

[RnMomof7]

Who is the Lord talking to?

Those words prove the Trinity..Father ,Son and Holy Spirit..

How do I know that..Well the Father created through the word "Jesus" The Holy Spirit moved acrsoss the water....

Yet creation was by the one triune God

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Jhn 10:30 I and [my] Father are one.

Jhn 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are].

Rest, I am sorry but I LDS like the pagans .They are a polytheists

[RnMomof7]

Actually, it sounds like you would rather listen to Wesley over even say, the Bible. BTW, I loved your allusion that we Calvinist are just dogs humped up on your leg; frothing at the mouth even.

LOVE huh??? It is a log and splinter issue..Woody..

[la$tminutepardon]

Who is the Lord talking to? Who is us? Who is our?

You twits. He's talking to Mary, Mary Magdelene and the other one, whats-her-name.

[Revelation 911]

Actually, it sounds like you would rather listen to Wesley over even say, the Bible.

How you arrive at that escapes me -be careful though, Jean may accuse you of:

"This, my friend, for all the world to see, is quite juvenile arguing tactics".- ooops - nope can't do that , only works for Arminians

BTW, I loved your allusion that we Calvinist are just dogs humped up on your leg; frothing at the mouth even.

Woody - cmon - SELL IT TO ME LIKE I AM A NEW CHRISTIAN, real calm, without denigrating Arminians.

[Jean Chauvin]

"... I am willing to listen with an open mind - which is precisely what I said originally."

Unfortunately, you have demonstrated any thing BUT an open mind.

Jean

[Jean Chauvin]

"Actually, it sounds like you would rather listen to Wesley over even say, the Bible. BTW, I loved your allusion that we Calvinist are just dogs humped up on your leg; frothing at the mouth even."

"LOVE huh??? It is a log and splinter issue..Woody.."

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Matthew 7:6

Jean

[la$tminutepardon]

No Christian I know of would use the language that you do.