Why are Protestants opposed to Crucifixes?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Metaron
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Metaron said:
Huh? What about the other points I made?
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Personally I agree with the reasonings behind the catholic usage of crucifixes. And about the protestant usage of baby jesus statues during christmas, its likely because everyone understands that christmas ornaments are purely decorative. Crosses however with a jesus in it can be misunderstood as religious tools. And as religious tools, the human image in it reminds them of pagan human images.
 
AgnosTheist said:
Personally I agree with the reasonings behind the catholic usage of crucifixes. And about the protestant usage of baby jesus statues during christmas, its likely because everyone understands that christmas ornaments are purely decorative. Crosses however with a jesus in it can be misunderstood as religious tools. And as religious tools, the human image in it reminds them of pagan human images.
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Well stated.
 
AgnosTheist said:
Crosses however with a jesus in it can be misunderstood as religious tools. And as religious tools, the human image in it reminds them of pagan human images.
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I don’t understand how anyone could misunderstand a crucifix for a pagan idol. “Oh, look, an image of Jesus crucified on the cross. That’s a pagan idol.” It doesn’t make sense.
 
Not quite. I seriously doubt Rev. Bob at the Baptist Church has Christianity’s early European heritage in mind when he’s talking about those “idolatrous” Catholics.
 
Originally Posted by Wholly Spirit
*“Oh, look, an image of Jesus crucified on the cross. That’s a pagan idol.” It doesn’t make sense. *

AgnosTheist reply
“It makes sense when you hold to the idea that Catholicism mixed Christianity with Paganism.”

Wholly Spirit reply
“OK, explain that, please.”

Well, just as I expected. Throw the rock and run.
 
I think that AgnosTheist is just stating what the Protestants say, and he isn’t endorsing it him/herself.
 
Lutherans use Crucifixes, just not exclusively.

For example, here is the webpage for one of the LC-MS’ two seminaries.
 
Didn’t Martin Luther scold one of his followers for attempting to twart the crucifix from their worship? I’m pretty sure that the Lutheran churches and the Anglican churches that I have been to have crucifixes.
 
AllSaints1631 said:
Didn’t Martin Luther scold one of his followers for attempting to twart the crucifix from their worship? I’m pretty sure that the Lutheran churches and the Anglican churches that I have been to have crucifixes.
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Yeah, most Anglican churches have crucifixes, though not all. Some have a resifix. or some have a highly ornate plain cross. I know because I used to be Anglican after I left Protestantism with dissatisfation.
 
Opposition to the crucifix is, really, a theological inconsistency.

If Protestants believe that the sacrifice of Christ was an atonement in blood and that it represents the satisfaction of the justice of God, it’s inconsistent to have a problem with the representation of that sacrifice, especially if one is going to prefer an empty cross.

The empty cross didn’t save anybody.
 
As a Catholic store owner, the most common comment is “Jesus is no longer on the Cross”, some tend to forget that you cannot have a Ressurected Jesus without the Suffering and Dying Jesus.
 
My first post, but I thought I’d answer the question from my own perspective as a protestant …

I was raised Baptist, and am currently seeking (not Christ, but the church).

I remember being taught that the empty cross symbolized the risen Christ. The crucifix wasn’t something opposed - instead the emphasis was on the resurrection of Christ after his death.

There is more food for thought for a non-Catholic Christian than one might think in pondering “why no Crucifix?” I was raised to believe that if Christ had not risen, then there would be no Messiah - no Christianity…

No discussions of idol-worship regarding a crucifix, but the Baptist Churches of my childhood had few if any religious pictures or icons. I have no idea what a mega-church would look like today.

Dana
 
For clarity: I was only going by experience. My Dad thought it was too graphic and “too Catholic”, my Protestant schoolteacher forbade me to wear it or have one in my desk (I was Anglican at the time) even though other Protestant kids were allowed to have crosses. My other Protestant schoolmates made a big deal out of it (This was at an independent Protestant school.)
 
Steadfast said:
Opposition to the crucifix is, really, a theological inconsistency.

If Protestants believe that the sacrifice of Christ was an atonement in blood and that it represents the satisfaction of the justice of God, it’s inconsistent to have a problem with the representation of that sacrifice, especially if one is going to prefer an empty cross.

The empty cross didn’t save anybody.
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Steadfast, what is drawing yo to the Lutheran Church? Are you attracted to LC-MS?
 
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