Whatever happened to the cross?
March 19th 2008 08:52
The cross has always played a prominent role in the Catholic Church. Catholic Churches set up stations of the cross. Catholics make the sign of the cross when they pray. The crucifix is displayed in Catholic homes and attached to rosary beads.
Although practices and doctrines differ within Protestant and Pentecostal churches, few place as much emphasis on the cross. It seems the crucifixion has almost been downgraded to just something that happened before the resurrection.
We prefer the risen Christ to the crucified Christ. You can understand why. He’s far more appealing. To some Christians, the phrase ‘take up your cross’ means nothing more than putting on a necklace.
The lack of attention to the cross also extends to the Christian message, particularly for Pentecostals. Pentecostals have mostly a joyful, upbeat message. The word ‘blessed’ is used a lot. According to some sermons I’ve heard, all your problems can be prayed away. You can have everything you want and more if you only follow God. Wealth, health and happiness, God wants you to have them all. Pentecostal Christians should be happy, success, rich and – there’s that word again – blessed.
It stands in stark contrast to the message preached by the Catholic Church about 500 to 1000 years ago. Back then, the emphasis was on Christ’s suffering and the call of Christians to suffer with him. Penances, hairshirts and pilgrimages were the order of the day. Many orders within the Catholic Church promoted a very basic lifestyle. Pain was more sought after than luxuries.
I’d be the last person to suggest this morbid approach to Christianity is the best one. Following God should give us some joy. Jesus didn’t die to make us all miserable. But there has to be a balance. To focus too much on the sorrow is to risk depression and listless faith performed only out of fear or duty. But to focus too much on the joy is to risk a superficial, selfish, what’s-in-it-for-me approach to faith.
Yes, God wants to bless us. Quite often, he answers prayers. Sometimes he resolves our problems. But sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he hands us a cross instead. Take it, he says, and follow me.
Life is not all joy. Life is not all sorrow. It is both. The Christian message should include the resurrection and the crucifixion. Both are needed for a healthy, authentic faith.
Although practices and doctrines differ within Protestant and Pentecostal churches, few place as much emphasis on the cross. It seems the crucifixion has almost been downgraded to just something that happened before the resurrection.
We prefer the risen Christ to the crucified Christ. You can understand why. He’s far more appealing. To some Christians, the phrase ‘take up your cross’ means nothing more than putting on a necklace.
The lack of attention to the cross also extends to the Christian message, particularly for Pentecostals. Pentecostals have mostly a joyful, upbeat message. The word ‘blessed’ is used a lot. According to some sermons I’ve heard, all your problems can be prayed away. You can have everything you want and more if you only follow God. Wealth, health and happiness, God wants you to have them all. Pentecostal Christians should be happy, success, rich and – there’s that word again – blessed.
It stands in stark contrast to the message preached by the Catholic Church about 500 to 1000 years ago. Back then, the emphasis was on Christ’s suffering and the call of Christians to suffer with him. Penances, hairshirts and pilgrimages were the order of the day. Many orders within the Catholic Church promoted a very basic lifestyle. Pain was more sought after than luxuries.
I’d be the last person to suggest this morbid approach to Christianity is the best one. Following God should give us some joy. Jesus didn’t die to make us all miserable. But there has to be a balance. To focus too much on the sorrow is to risk depression and listless faith performed only out of fear or duty. But to focus too much on the joy is to risk a superficial, selfish, what’s-in-it-for-me approach to faith.
Yes, God wants to bless us. Quite often, he answers prayers. Sometimes he resolves our problems. But sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he hands us a cross instead. Take it, he says, and follow me.
Life is not all joy. Life is not all sorrow. It is both. The Christian message should include the resurrection and the crucifixion. Both are needed for a healthy, authentic faith.
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Comment by Harry
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Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
interesting post.
While I'm glad we've (mainly) left flagellation behind as well as forcing people to go into convents or monasteries, I think that if you don't go the way of ultra-conservatism you tend to go too far the other way.
A lot of modern churches do over-emphasise the blessings and what not, without backing it up with the word responsibility. They say "You are no longer slaves to sin" and don't follow it up with "You are slaves to righteousness."
Good luck with blogging.
JZ