Cross vs Crucifix

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=IGotQuestions;13402041]When I was a fundamental Baptist, I was told that Catholics still have Jesus on the Cross through the Crucifix, while theirs was an empty Cross signifying the Resurrection. The empty cross testifies that Jesus has completed the work He was given to do for our redemption. The crucifix tells us only that He has failed.
Once again, I am not saying I believe this, it’s simply what I was told.
What is the Catholic response to such a teaching?
Thanks!
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GREAT Question! Thanks:thumbsup:

Actually what we Catholics do is VERY Biblical:

1st. Cor. 1: 21-25
“[For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,** but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than me”

Catholics leave the corpus of Jesus on the Cross for several reasons:
  1. As a visible reminder of how much Jesus LOVES us and our eternal debt to Him
  2. Because we DO receive the REAL Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in Catholic Holy Communion. The Sacrifice of Jesus is “RE-presented”; [NOT “represented”] which is to say that the Crucifixion itself, in time immoral, is presented again and again at every Catholic Mass. Making this fact one of the GREATEST Mysterious of our Faith:)
  3. Which is also why we make the “sign of the Cross” on our bodies; signifying our willingness to suffer for and with Jesus.
The ONLY road to heaven is THROUGH our personal Calvary. AMEN!!👍

God Bless you,

Patrick
 
Faith1960 said:
Sometimes I wear a crucifix, sometimes just a cross. Right now I’m wearing a diamond cross, not a crucifix. Is there anything wrong with that?
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Maybe you are asking a Catholic POV, but as far as I’m concerned, it is either/or, but both/and. Both are fine. I prefer a crucifix, but I have a cross in my house.

Jon
 
JonNC said:
Maybe you are asking a Catholic POV, but as far as I’m concerned, it is either/or, but both/and. Both are fine. I prefer a crucifix, but I have a cross in my house.

Jon
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Thanks, but yeah, I want a Catholic POV. I emailed a priest. I assume it’s ok since a priest blessed it.
 
IGotQuestions said:
When I was a fundamental Baptist, I was told that Catholics still have Jesus on the Cross through the Crucifix, while theirs was an empty Cross signifying the Resurrection. The empty cross testifies that Jesus has completed the work He was given to do for our redemption. The crucifix tells us only that He has failed.
Once again, I am not saying I believe this, it’s simply what I was told.
What is the Catholic response to such a teaching?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
I had a friend ask me why Catholics have Crucifixes in our churches…don’t we believe Jesus has risen? Why do we keep Him on the cross?

biblechristiansociety.com/apologetics/two_minute#5

First of all, you would want to check out 1st Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 23. Paul says, “…but we preach Christ crucified…” Why does Paul preach Christ crucified? Doesn’t he know Jesus has been raised from the dead? Of course he does! But, he knows that it is through the power of the crucified Christ on the cross that the bonds of sin and death are broken. As Paul says in verse 24, Christ crucified is the “power of God”.
1 Cor 2:2, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Again, didn’t Paul know that Jesus had risen from the dead? Of course, he did.
Paul preaches Christ crucified because an empty cross has no power. The cross that bears the beaten, battered, and bloodied body of Jesus Christ, however, that cross is the “power of God”. This is why, we “keep Jesus on the cross,” because we, too, preach Christ crucified. The Crucifix reminds us not only of God’s power, but also His love for us - giving His only begotten Son up for suffering and death.
Also, here in this life we do not share so much in the glory of the Resurrection, as we do in the suffering of Jesus on the cross; after all, we must take up our cross daily if we are to follow Jesus, as it says in Lk 9:23.
And, we must die with Christ in order to live with Him as Romans 6:8 tells us. Where did Christ die? On the cross. The Crucifix serves to remind us of these things.
One other passage to keep in mind is Galatians 3:1, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?” Did you catch that? Jesus was publicly portrayed, before their “eyes”, as being crucified. Sounds kind of like they may have been looking at a Crucifix, doesn’t it?
 
Well Jesus suffered and died on the cross. Lest we forget. We all have to suffer one way or another but assured there is the resurrection of the dead, due to Christ’s sacrifice. But it shouldn’t be this vs that. Whatever way helps you remember pray we never lose sight of God’s love for man.

MJ
 
IGotQuestions said:
When I was a fundamental Baptist, I was told that Catholics still have Jesus on the Cross through the Crucifix, while theirs was an empty Cross signifying the Resurrection. The empty cross testifies that Jesus has completed the work He was given to do for our redemption. The crucifix tells us only that He has failed.
Once again, I am not saying I believe this, it’s simply what I was told.
What is the Catholic response to such a teaching?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
One of our local LCMS churches has a crucifix as a focal point looking forward to the altar. They also have their baptism fountain (water that runs over the sides of the baptistry) centered so that the members pass by it on their way up to receive communion. I love the symbolism of each of these and their placements.

God bless!!

Rita
 
Faith1960 said:
Sometimes I wear a crucifix, sometimes just a cross. Right now I’m wearing a diamond cross, not a crucifix. Is there anything wrong with that?
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As I’ve been reading the posts, I was thinking the same thing, Faith. I think both are important symbols of our Christian faith and point to what Jesus did for us sacrificing himself for our atonement.

God’s peace to you,

Rita
 
Faith1960 said:
Sometimes I wear a crucifix, sometimes just a cross. Right now I’m wearing a diamond cross, not a crucifix. Is there anything wrong with that?
Click to expand...
I wear both. I have a beautiful crucifix on the same chain as my saint medal. I have a longer chain with a cross made of nails. While the first I often wear outside my clothing the other is always worn under my clothing as it has very special meaning to me.

Both have great meaning to Catholics.
 
rfournier103 said:
The assertion that He Failed is incorrect.

The Corpus (Body of Jesus) on the Crucifix is a reminder of His Holy and Divine Sacrifice on behalf of all mankind.

To any non-Catholic who says “He is no longer on the Cross”, I say to them “Amen! He is RISEN! BUT WE MUST NEVER EVER FORGET HE WAS THERE.”

To be reminded of Christ’s glorious Sacrifice on the Cross is a VERY blessed thing. Would any of us WILLINGLY allow ourselves to suffer a death such as that when we could have told the powers that be what they wanted to hear and live? Or when we could have ran and hid? Anyone???

Jesus didn’t tell them what they wanted to hear, and He didn’t run and hide to escape His glorious Destiny. He did the Will of Our Father in Heaven. It is very sad that so many people are so ignorant of this. There isn’t a Catholic alive that would assert that Jesus Christ ever failed at ANYTHING. I have no idea where people get these ridiculous notions.
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👍 Good post!
 
rfournier103 said:
The assertion that He Failed is incorrect.

The Corpus (Body of Jesus) on the Crucifix is a reminder of His Holy and Divine Sacrifice on behalf of all mankind.

To any non-Catholic who says “He is no longer on the Cross”, I say to them “Amen! He is RISEN! BUT WE MUST NEVER EVER FORGET HE WAS THERE.”

To be reminded of Christ’s glorious Sacrifice on the Cross is a VERY blessed thing. Would any of us WILLINGLY allow ourselves to suffer a death such as that when we could have told the powers that be what they wanted to hear and live? Or when we could have ran and hid? Anyone???

Jesus didn’t tell them what they wanted to hear, and He didn’t run and hide to escape His glorious Destiny. He did the Will of Our Father in Heaven. It is very sad that so many people are so ignorant of this. There isn’t a Catholic alive that would assert that Jesus Christ ever failed at ANYTHING. I have no idea where people get these ridiculous notions.
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7_Sorrows said:
👍 Good post!
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Thank you, 7 Sorrows.

Growing up in an area that is overwhelmingly Catholic, I never suspected just how misunderstood Catholicism is throughout the Western World.

What upsets me most is that many of our Protestant ‘brethren’ continue to swallow the misconceptions and outright lies about Catholicism without question; when their energies would be far better spent fighting the evils of the world. Rather than trying to “share” the Gospel with people THAT ALREADY HAVE IT, maybe they should combat the pandemics of atheism and indifference that plague our world. How many souls are lost every day by people who KNOWINGLY reject Christ? Only God knows the answer, but why not do a service for those poor wretches and tell them about the Merciful Christ?

So many waste their time and energy attacking Catholicism, and we have to spend time and energy defending Holy Mother Church. Time and energy better spent doing Christ’s work. There is so much misery, sadness, and darkness in our world - they should turn their efforts curing some of THOSE ills and leave us alone. Or better yet, cooperate with us and we can eradicate them together.
 
JonNC said:
The Lutheran reformers rejected iconoclasm, and the misinterpretation of Decalogue you describe here.

Jon
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Yes this exactly.
My son’s Lutheran elementary school had a crucifix in the hallway.
In my own home, I have both crucifixes and empty crosses.
The Crucifix reminds me of the suffering Christ, crucified for my sins.
The empty tomb(and empty Cross) remind me of the resurection
 
rfournier103 said:
Thank you, 7 Sorrows.

Growing up in an area that is overwhelmingly Catholic, I never suspected just how misunderstood Catholicism is throughout the Western World.

What upsets me most is that many of our Protestant ‘brethren’ continue to swallow the misconceptions and outright lies about Catholicism without question; when their energies would be far better spent fighting the evils of the world. Rather than trying to “share” the Gospel with people THAT ALREADY HAVE IT, maybe they should combat the pandemics of atheism and indifference that plague our world. How many souls are lost every day by people who KNOWINGLY reject Christ? Only God knows the answer, but why not do a service for those poor wretches and tell them about the Merciful Christ?

So many waste their time and energy attacking Catholicism, and we have to spend time and energy defending Holy Mother Church. Time and energy better spent doing Christ’s work. There is so much misery, sadness, and darkness in our world - they should turn their efforts curing some of THOSE ills and leave us alone. Or better yet, cooperate with us and we can eradicate them together.
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I agree.
 
IGotQuestions said:
When I was a fundamental Baptist, I was told that Catholics still have Jesus on the Cross through the Crucifix, while theirs was an empty Cross signifying the Resurrection. The empty cross testifies that Jesus has completed the work He was given to do for our redemption. The crucifix tells us only that He has failed.
Once again, I am not saying I believe this, it’s simply what I was told.
What is the Catholic response to such a teaching?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
General Instruction of the Roman Missal* No. 308: “There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it, where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation. It is appropriate that such a cross, which calls to mind for the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord, remain near the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations”
Consider the processional cross, which may a Crucifix. It is a reminder that we must take up our cross and follow Christ.

“The crucifix did not come into general use until after the Reformation. The earlier ones represented Our Lord as the High Priest crowned, robed, and alive.” - Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. Hardon.
 
I thought I answered this one on here…

My long ago pastor got up and had a crucifix in his hand. On one side he showed us it represented our Catholic faith, the cross with Christ.

He turned it around and then said this is the protestant cross…but no Christ.

I think Catholic faith likewise reflects back to Our Lord’s death on the Cross…there at the cross how He raises all of creation up to Himself.

So in Christ and through Christ, the world damaged and perverted by original sin, is made new through Him by the means of us, His followers. And through His Body and Blood, His hands and feet… we work to restore the world…what little we can do…to restore the lost primordial beauty of the garden of Eden.

The cross leads us to die to Christ…and from Him comes His Spirit emanating us to serve, to seek and share truth, and to express beauty in reflecting God’s creation.

Through Christ’s death on the Cross, we are able to now claim His creation in His name and for His glory…all of creation is being restored to Him, that will be actualized in the New Jerusalem.

Catholic/Orthodox are wholistic in their faith.
 
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