Protestant Cross

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texstev said:
Why did the Protestants take off the crucifix on the cross?
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Because it is finished. Jesus is no longer on the cross, because He is risen and is at the right hand of God interceding for us! Jesus is ruling and reigning from the throne of God.

Romans 8:34

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
 
The history of the cross/crucifix is a long one.

As far as Eucharisted’s comments that we’re ashamed of Christ crucified - that’s a pretty bigoted and untrue statement. In fact - I’ll just say it: that is a bold-faced lie.
 
O.S.Luke said:
The history of the cross/crucifix is a long one.

As far as Eucharisted’s comments that we’re ashamed of Christ crucified - that’s a pretty bigoted and untrue statement. In fact - I’ll just say it: that is a bold-faced lie.
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Far from it! Most Protestants put more emphasis on Jesus’ resurrection and ascnesion than on His crucifixion. Why? Because the crucifixion is over? But so is the resurrection and the ascension, so why honor Him risen and ascented? Or, is His resurrection and ascension eternal? But than so is His crucifixion! Indeed, the Messiah was prophesized to perpetuate the thanksgiving offering - so how can most Protestants claim it is not so? It is a lie against Christ!

Moreover, if most Protestants were not ashamed of Christ crucified, they would not be ashamed to honor Him! They would have crucifixes and make Signs of the Cross. But they do not. They do not wish to be called Catholic and they do not wish to be mocked for honoring what the world believes is a dead man. Furthermore, most Protestants are about the “joy” of Christianity, pushing aside the sorrows of Christ, salvific suffering, and more. In their zeal for man’s salvation, they put aside God and set up a false god for mankind.
 
Eucharisted said:
Far from it! Most Protestants put more emphasis on Jesus’ resurrection and ascnesion than on His crucifixion. Why? Because the crucifixion is over? But so is the resurrection and the ascension, so why honor Him risen and ascented? Or, is His resurrection and ascension eternal? But than so is His crucifixion! Indeed, the Messiah was prophesized to perpetuate the thanksgiving offering - so how can most Protestants claim it is not so? It is a lie against Christ!

Moreover, if most Protestants were not ashamed of Christ crucified, they would not be ashamed to honor Him! They would have crucifixes and make Signs of the Cross. But they do not. They do not wish to be called Catholic and they do not wish to be mocked for honoring what the world believes is a dead man. Furthermore, most Protestants are about the “joy” of Christianity, pushing aside the sorrows of Christ, salvific suffering, and more. In their zeal for man’s salvation, they put aside God and set up a false god for mankind.
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Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12

Protestantism is about rejoicing in our sufferings!

Philippians 1:29

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 
The non-Catholics do not have Christ on the cross generally for one of two reasons or both. One is they consider it idolatry but they still have the empty cross, which can and is considered idolatry. So some do not display even the cross. Second, they emphasize the resurrection rather than the crucifixion.

The Catholic Church of course does not worship anything other than God, so no problem there as far as idolatry. Catholics on the other hand emphasize the crucifixion for without the crucifixion there would be no forgiveness of sins and there would be no resurrection. As Paul said, we teach Christ crucified.
 
Christ did not redeem us on Easter day it was Good Friday ! And here is what Paul says about it.
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with pretentious speech or wisdom, announcing unto you the witness to Christ. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:1–2).

Peace, and God Bless
onenow1:popcorn:
 
I think 2nd Adam summed it up pretty well (post#3). The seems to be the general consensus. When I converted, I went from a plain, no corpus, cross to displaying and wearing a Crucifix. For me, and this only my opinion, I went to the Crucifix because it is a constant reminder that Christ suffered before He died. I know, both the cross and the Crucifix can be a reminder. However, it is the symbolic removal of Christ that I don’t agree with–anymore.
Christ suffered, Christ Died, Christ is risen, And Christ will come again. Let’s not forget what He went through.
 
2nd_Adam said:
Because it is finished. Jesus is no longer on the cross, because He is risen and is at the right hand of God interceding for us! Jesus is ruling and reigning from the throne of God.

Romans 8:34

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
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but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles 1 Cor. 1:23

God bless
 
Nice to know that, Jon.

@Eucharisted, I’d ask you to choose your words more carefully as it’s coming off as very hurtful. Propose your ideas but don’t go attacking others with such broad accusations.

To the original poster: I’d like to hear from someone who knows the history of it but here’s my theory. Perhaps one of the reasons some protestants took Jesus off the Cross is to distance themselves from Catholics who some falsely believe are re-sacrificing Christ during the liturgy. This may explain why they focus on saying “Jesus is no longer on the cross”.

Remember that without His sacrifice, there would be no resurrection.

Let’s not forget what Paul said though:
*“We for our part preach a crucified Christ; to the Jews indeed a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness, 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 men” (1 Cor 1:23–25).

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with pretentious speech or wisdom, announcing unto you the witness to Christ. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:1–2).*

As father Vincent Serpa has said before, the cross didn’t die for you, Jesus did.

The crucifix helps us never forget how our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us in order to save us. It wasn’t simply the Jews who put Jesus there, it was OUR sin, it was MY sin that put Him there.
 
Jesus said that whatever we do to these least His brethren we do unto Him.

Considering the way some devout God loving people are forced to live, both here in the United States and around the world, Jesus is suffering right along with them.

Stones can be thrown by both sides. I’ve been told by Protestant’s more than once that I don’t believe in the Resurrection because I wear a Crucifix.
 
I don’t think we should hold ill feelings towards our Christian brothers and sisters for having a simple cross versus a Crucifix. I have always understood that the Crucifix is an outward symbol of something much deeper like all sacramentals. When someone looks at a (simple or plain) cross, what comes to mind? Death? Life? Salvation? Leaving our sorrows, sins, imperfections, pain and such there, fill in your own feelings. But when I personally look at a Crucifix, I remember more than an event or a tool of God’s plan for our salvation, I see the suffereing of a real person. I have an emotional tie to Jesus as so much…Savior, Redeemer, Bearer of my sins, the most Innocent paying the price for all mankind, etc. Unfortunately, the real image is often too pretty when in reality it was brutal and indescribably gruesome. Perhaps in our selfishness to not see it for what it was, namely our own sins, nailing Him to that cross that He so lovingly excepted, we have to make it easier to behold. I think that is what we should share with our brothers and sisters. I have Crucifixes in my home and I carry the “Clinging Cross” in my pocket. If you don’t know this story, it is one you should read. I think all would find it inspiring. The next time you all look at either of these I hope you would consider this with the heart of a child. Never forget what He did for you. Continue to pray for each other.

Peace.
 
A couple of points.

(1) Protestants differ somewhat among themselves as to Christ on the cross. Lutherans, the original Protestants, and Episcopalians often have Christ on the cross.
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(2) Protestants also differ as to how much emphasis they put on the crucifixion and on the resurrection. They normally observe Good Friday but the great and joyous festival is Easter. Yes, the resurrection overcame the crucifixion. Good news overcame the bad news.

(3) I am what probably would be classified as a liberal Protestant. I am not sola scriptura, and have trouble with fundamentalism, either in its Catholic or Protestant form. (Yes, I view some segments within Catholicism, often in evidence on CAF, as fundamentalists.)  I personally prefer the empty cross, the sign of victory, over the crucifix, which focuses attention on death and defeat. 

 (4) My own preference beyond that, frankly, is 'low church' - worship that is quite simple, with upbeat music and without prayerbook rituals and ornate vestments and emphasis on the altar colors and such incidentals. I do not agree with the theology of Pentecostalism, but I do admire their enthusiasm and joy. When I attend a Catholic mass (as I often do with relatives and friends) too much seems to me to come from above rather than from the Holy Spirit. I've been to a Saturday vigil mass at one church and then hear the very same homily (with same story or two) at another church Sunday morning.  There are some excellent priests who can help make mass interesting, but too often I look around and many people are either not participating or seem ready to dart out to the parking lot.  

 (5) That said, Protestants and Catholics are fellow Christians, and Christ must be saddened that some bigotry still exists. John Wesley said "think and let think" and "if you love God as I love God, let's join hands and walk together." I agree.

  God bless all creeds, colors and countries. Let's work together to make religion a bridge and not a barrier.
 
All I can say is Love remembers all, crucifixion and ressurection are both part of the mystery of God.

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14–15).

Peace,and God Bless
omenow1 🙂
 
Although I understand the Protestant position, to me, the plain cross without the corpus is an instrument of the cruelest torture. It was the crucifixion of Christ that turned it from a sign of tortuous and ignominious death to one of life and hope.

I had a bit of a journey to get there though. When I first became Catholic, I preferred a cross with the Risen Christ, emphasising the Resurrection. I really did have an aversion to looking at His Passion. I recalled an old western film where an outlaw walks into a Catholic church for the first time, sees the crucifix and comments, “That looks worse than hangin”. I really didn’t want to look at it. I still did not understand the Cross. Now, 29 years down the track, I have replaced all my crosses with the Risen Christ with Crucifixes, as I have come to understand that we must journey that same path with Christ, suffering the buffets and jeers, the beatings and mockings, the crowning with thorns, the painful carrying of our own cross and finally, the abandoning of ourselves to God in our own deaths, all the while remaining faithful to God and His commandments, never forsaking Him.

It is having His image before me, in His Passion and Death, that now encourages me to remain faithful. Every sin I commit is a offence against God and another hammerblow on the nails, another flail of the scourge, another slap in the face of my beloved Jesus.

I work part-time at a private school run by fundamentalists. One of them once asked me why I wear a crucifix. He seemed quite satisfied with my answer, “It reminds me of the price He paid for me.”
 
texstev said:
Why did the Protestants take off the crucifix on the cross?
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NEWS FLASH: Not all Protestants did omit the Crucifix. Better study other churches outside of your own before you going shooting off like that. Just some advise there for ya.:o
 
texstev said:
Why did the Protestants take off the crucifix on the cross?
Click to expand...
Because many protestants consider it a symbol that misses the point. An empty cross celebrates the risen Christ and the promise of an everlasting life his resurrection brought to all of us. Some protestant churches make use of the crucifix during Lent and on Good friday, going back to the empty cross on Easter.
 
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