The Symbolism of the Cross
The Symbolism of the Cross

Author: René Guénon

Publisher: Sophia Perennis

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 9780900588655

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The Symbolism of the Cross is a major doctrinal study of the central symbol of Christianity from the standpoint of the universal metaphysical tradition, the 'perennial philosophy' as it is called in the West. As Guernon points out, the cross is one of the most universal of all symbols and is far from belonging to Christianity alone. Indeed, Christians have sometimes tended to lose sight of its symbolism of its symbolical significance and to regard it as no more than the sign of a historical event. By restoring to the full spiritual value as a symbol, but without in any way detracting from its historical importance for Christianity, Guenon has performed a task of inestimable importance which perhaps only he, with his unrivaled knowledge of the symbolic languages of both East and West, was qualified to perform.

The Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross

Author: Bert Ghezzi

Publisher: Loyola Press

Published: 2009-06-10

Total Pages: 107

ISBN-13: 0829430768

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Christians worldwide have been blessing themselves with the sign of the cross for centuries. But few who use this simple, familiar gesture know its impact as a powerful prayer. Author Bert Ghezzi shows how this potent prayer engages the Holy Spirit and affirms Christian identity. With insights derived from Scripture, church teachings, and personal experience, Ghezzi encourages people to utilize this powerful sign in their daily life. Drawing on the fascinating history of the sign of the cross, Ghezzi reveals six dynamic truths of the spiritual life that God gives. The Sign of the Cross brings forth an opening to God, renewal of baptism, mark of discipleship, acceptance of suffering, defense agains the devil, and victory over self-indulgence. This inspirational book brings to life the blessings of this ancient prayer and guides Christians to a renewed experience of God.

The Cross
The Cross

Author: Robin M. Jensen

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2017-04-17

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 0674088808

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The cross stirs intense feelings among Christians as well as non-Christians. Robin Jensen takes readers on an intellectual and spiritual journey through the two-thousand-year evolution of the cross as an idea and an artifact, illuminating the controversies—along with the forms of devotion—this central symbol of Christianity inspires. Jesus’s death on the cross posed a dilemma for Saint Paul and the early Church fathers. Crucifixion was a humiliating form of execution reserved for slaves and criminals. How could their messiah and savior have been subjected to such an ignominious death? Wrestling with this paradox, they reimagined the cross as a triumphant expression of Christ’s sacrificial love and miraculous resurrection. Over time, the symbol’s transformation raised myriad doctrinal questions, particularly about the crucifix—the cross with the figure of Christ—and whether it should emphasize Jesus’s suffering or his glorification. How should Jesus’s body be depicted: alive or dead, naked or dressed? Should it be shown at all? Jensen’s wide-ranging study focuses on the cross in painting and literature, the quest for the “true cross” in Jerusalem, and the symbol’s role in conflicts from the Crusades to wars of colonial conquest. The Cross also reveals how Jews and Muslims viewed the most sacred of all Christian emblems and explains its role in public life in the West today.

The Cross
The Cross

Author: George Willard Benson

Publisher: Courier Corporation

Published: 2013-02-20

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0486149706

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Centuries before the Christian era, crosses were used as pagan emblems. Early Christians did not employ the symbolism of the cross, which came into general use three centuries after the death of Jesus and has since come to be recognized around the world as a symbol of sacrifice and redemption. This fascinating book begins with legends, and proceeds to an exploration of the many facts, myths, and curious customs and superstitions connected with the history of the cross. In simple, direct language, this volume recounts the notable events and stories of people whose lives are interwoven with the symbol of the cross, such as the crusaders, who wore heraldic crosses as emblems of valor and bravery. Numerous illustrations depict the variety of forms and uses of the cross, as well as the symbols that appear upon many crosses, and the text traces their similarity and significance to the symbolism found in religious paintings, mosaics, and stained glass. The history, the legends, and the art and symbolism with which the cross is intimately connected form the keynote of this study, which is presented in a reverent spirit and a manner accessible to readers of every background.

Devil on the Cross
Devil on the Cross

Author: Ngugi wa Thiong'o

Publisher: Heinemann

Published: 1987

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 9780435908447

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Devil on the Cross tells the tragic story of Wariinga, a young woman who emigrated from her small rural town to the city of Nairobi only to be exploited by her boss and later a corrupt businessman.

The Secret Behind the Cross and Crucifix
The Secret Behind the Cross and Crucifix

Author: Nwaocha Mind Ogechukwu

Publisher: Strategic Book Publishing

Published: 2010-07-17

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 1608608506

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What do you think of when you look at the cross and the crucifix? Do they hold sacred and religious value for you? After reading this book, your perception may change; the church's use of these symbols has for centuries concealed facts regarding their true origins. The author reveals these findings in this stunning expose. His research includes historical accounts of Christianity's conspiracy and divulges the true meaning of the cross as a satanic symbol. The author states: 'For centuries after Christ, the church and other religions that use cruciform symbols have misrepresented the physica.

The Cross and the Lynching Tree
The Cross and the Lynching Tree

Author: James H. Cone

Publisher: Orbis Books

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 160833001X

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A landmark in the conversation about race and religion in America. "They put him to death by hanging him on a tree." Acts 10:39 The cross and the lynching tree are the two most emotionally charged symbols in the history of the African American community. In this powerful new work, theologian James H. Cone explores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folk. Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning. While the lynching tree symbolized white power and "black death," the cross symbolizes divine power and "black life" God overcoming the power of sin and death. For African Americans, the image of Jesus, hung on a tree to die, powerfully grounded their faith that God was with them, even in the suffering of the lynching era. In a work that spans social history, theology, and cultural studies, Cone explores the message of the spirituals and the power of the blues; the passion and of Emmet Till and the engaged vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.; he invokes the spirits of Billie Holliday and Langston Hughes, Fannie Lou Hamer and Ida B. Well, and the witness of black artists, writers, preachers, and fighters for justice. And he remembers the victims, especially the 5,000 who perished during the lynching period. Through their witness he contemplates the greatest challenge of any Christian theology to explain how life can be made meaningful in the face of death and injustice.

The Cross before Constantine
The Cross before Constantine

Author: Bruce W. Longenecker

Publisher: Fortress Press

Published: 2015-08-01

Total Pages: 253

ISBN-13: 1506400361

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Upending a longstanding consensus, Bruce W. Longenecker presents a wide variety of material artifacts to illustrate that Christians made use of the cross as a visual symbol of their faith long before Constantine appropriated it to consolidate his power in the fourth century. Constantine did not invent the cross as a symbol of Christian faith; for an impressive number of Christians before Constantine’s reign, the cross served as a visual symbol of commitment to a living deity in a dangerous world.