The central symbol of the Christian faith is an ancient torture device.
Only employed against the most heinous criminals and those guilty of treason, the cross now enjoys a revival of epic proportions.We forge its shape into elaborate jewelry and wear it around our necks with ease. Some of us hang its likeness as decor on the walls of our homes, while others of us have it tattooed on our bodies. We are no longer unnerved by its shape, but comforted by it. It has become a symbol loaded with meaning, but what exactly does it mean?
For centuries, it has been imbued with special significance for the Christian faith, but it is no easy symbol. It represents both death and new-life, both a place of great suffering and the means of our restoration. In it, we are reminded of who it is that God sent to save all humankind… and who it was that executed him. The cross is complex, often beckoning us to accept forgiveness in the same moment that it takes us to task about how casually we have chosen to walk through God’s world.
In this 5-week series, we’ll consider the complexity of the cross as the central symbol of the Christian faith and how it not only reveals to us who God is, but also who it is that God desires for us to be!
Schedule:
Feb. 20: Where Fear Meets Hope, Dr. Phyllis Rodgerson-Pleasants
Feb. 27: The Event of Judgment and Forgiveness, Rev. Justin Joplin
Mar. 6: Both/And: The Cross as Crossroads for People Living Between the Poles, Dan Schumacher
Mar. 13: The Location of Suffering and Healing, Dr. Dan Bagby
Mar. 20: An Example to be Rejected and Emulated, Dr. Valerie Carter
