I’ve been keeping with with the Wren Cross controversy. I ran across an article about a bill, introduced by Senator Will Coggin, to have the cross returned to the Chapel. An article in The Virginia Informer stated, in reference to Coggin, “he had ‘taken offense’ to the notion that a cross is inherently offensive.”
I’m even more disturbed because it is a view shared by many folks in churches across America. I struggle to find anything more offensive than my God crucified on a cross by His creation. To Christians, the cross must be simultaneously offensive and comforting.
As Derek Webb says, “the gospel is inherently offensive.” In Luke, Jesus, in reference to the gospel, states:
They shall be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law.
It bothers me that the American church by-in-large has forgotten that the message of Christ is literally earth-shattering, perhaps that is because the American gospel is easy, say these magic words and you will go to heaven. There is no committment, there is no cost.
The message of Christ is for people to die to themselves and follow Him. The cross is an enduring symbol of that. Of course it is offensive. Praise our God that it is!
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I think some churches do recognize how offensive it is- thats why some mega churches won’t display the cross in their buildings- they know its offensive. But they see it as offensive to non-christians. This may sound totally crazy, but I think it is supposed to be offensive to us- it represents the death that comes from sin. Granted, it also represents the sacrifice of Christ, but its the watered-down feel-good gospel that only looks at the positive image of the cross. If anything, the happy image associated with Christ’s resurection should be the tomb, but you don’t see many churches with those on display
People worship the cross- they think its ok because the cross is a christian symbol, but we are not called to worship the cross, we are called to worship Christ. There is a difference.
I am going to stop now because I could go on forever but I have homework to do.
Brandy