Why don't non-Catholic Christians make the Sign of the Cross? Or, do they?

[Justin_Mee]

It’s easy,

Using your right hand, take two fingers, slightly bent, (generally bowing your head) and touch your forehead, with your finger tips, saying, “In the name of the Father”, then touch your sternum and say “And the Son”, then touch your left shoulder saying, “And the Holy” and right shoulder (all in one movement), saying, “Spirit”… Amen

This is one of the oldest and shortest payers in Christianity and one of the most powerful and holiest expressions of our faith. It reminds us of Christ’s suffering for us on the Cross. This is our outward expression of Christianity and when we make the “Sign of the Cross”, we are receiving God’s blessing, a reminder of our baptism and signifying that we are Christian and that we belong to Christ.

Actually, I touch my first 2 fingertips to my thumb with symbolizes the Trinity. The other 2 fingers symbolizes the 2 natures of Christ (Divine and human). The top (of these 2 fingers) represent Divinity and the bottom, human, because that is the way our salvation goes (from the Divine to us humans).

One can also touch all 4 fingers to the thumb which represents the 5 wounds of Christ.

An agnostic friend of mine, suggested I touch my middle 2 fingers to my thumb, then the outer 2 fingers would represent the Church and State. I didn’t find it funny but admired his quick mind.

 

[eureka525]

In Chicago I would make the sign very much the same way, unless I thought there might be an adverse reaction.

Why hide it? Aren’t we as Christians called to spread the Word? I understand that you do it for you, but perhaps someone sees you do this and is somehow inspired to seek out the Lord. Maybe that person then decides it’s okay for them to cross themselves the next time they sit down to a meal in public and someone else becomes inspired in some way to seek out the Lord. etc., etc.

Let people say or think what they want, we shouldn’t be afraid to honor Christ in public in any form that may take (sotc, praying, wearing a cross, etc.). To do otherwise would be against Christ’s teachings and a great injustice to the thousands upon thousands who have died over the last 2,000 years to defend our Christian faith.

 

[JonNC]

If I have any problem with it at all it’s that it becomes such an automatic thing that there is no thought to it and it’s not meant as any sign of reverence but merely a mindless habit — especially in sports. I have a hard time seeing it a reverent sign when a ball player crosses himself and then immediately adjusts his cup, tightens his batting gloves and steps back into the batter’s box after each pitch.

I think this requires us to read the hearts of others, Lutherteach, even though there may be instances where you are probably correct.
I remember when I was a kid, the Phillies had a player named Tony Taylor, utility infielder type. He always crossed himself before stepping into the batter’s box. I never got the feeling there was any pretense of attempt to call attention to it or himself. It was part of his personal piety, and I like to think the same of all those who do it. One curious difference is today players tend to cross themselves *after * a homerun or touchdown catch. TT did it before.

Finally, I think there is a positive side to acts related to faith being almost automatic. One might contend it is a sign of sanctification, and that’s a good thing.

Jon

 

[MelanieAnne]

It’s easy,

Using your right hand, take two fingers, slightly bent, (generally bowing your head) and touch your forehead, with your finger tips, saying, “In the name of the Father”, then touch your sternum and say “And the Son”, then touch your left shoulder saying, “And the Holy” and right shoulder (all in one movement), saying, “Spirit”… Amen

For some reason that I don’t know (and now I can’t ask him because he’s gone) my Catholic step-Father always touched his heart/sternum at the end, at the point of the “Amen”.

And so I do it too because that is how he taught me.

 

[MelanieAnne]

If I have any problem with it at all it’s that it becomes such an automatic thing that there is no thought to it and it’s not meant as any sign of reverence but merely a mindless habit — especially in sports. I have a hard time seeing it a reverent sign when a ball player crosses himself and then immediately adjusts his cup, tightens his batting gloves and steps back into the batter’s box after each pitch.

I can’t speak to sports, but I can say that when I enter the church and apply the holy water in this fashion, it is reverent. Is it “mindless”? Not for me. Hard to say for every single person that does so. But it’s certainly not mindless for me, any more than acknowledging our Lord in the Tabernacle as I enter the church is mindless. Similarly, when I do the sign of the cross before blessing a meal or at any other time when I begin to pray. How dare you suggest that such reverence is a “mindless habit” when you have no idea what is in the heart and mind of the person observing this reverence?

I can’t help but think that you point to this extreme example in an effort to ridicule. But setting that aside, how can you presume to know what is in the heart of the baseball player “crosses himself and then immediately adjusts his cup, tightens his batting gloves and steps back into the batter’s box after each pitch”? You’re not God, so how can you pretend to know what is in his heart? You can’t.

God says we should leave judgment up to Him. It even to applies to Lutherans.

 

[JonNC]

Many of your comments presuppose a church setting…not an explicit part of the OP in my reading although perhaps intended as such. Because I do not go to a CAtholic church, I see Catholics crossing themselves when discussing things, coming across an accident, etc.

You’re probably right that I evaluated the OP in terms of during worship, when it applies most certainly outside that. I see many people with a “fish” on the bumper of their cars. I have a crucifix hanging in mine. If the intent of either is, “look at me”, it is a wrong intent.

Seems to me crossing oneself at an accident or the like is a kind of invocation, calling on Christ’s mercy on the victims - a good thing.

Jon

 

[Jimmy_B]

My Grandmother use to cross herself every time she heard an ambulance or passed by a hospital… My youngest son would do the same. He would also cross himself whenever we passed the intersection, where one of my old partners and buddy, Dave was killed in the line of duty and when he did, it always made me feel good.

 

[MelanieAnne]

My Grandmother use to cross herself every time she heard an ambulance or passed by a hospital… My youngest son would do the same. He would also cross himself whenever we passed the intersection, where one of my old partners and buddy, Dave was killed in the line of duty and when he did, it always made me feel good.

Jimmy, I’d like to think that he was praying for Dave at that moment.

 

[Hesychios]

Why hide it?

I never said I hide it.

 

[grace_singh]

i cross myself, ususally after personal prayer.

 

[Berean2]

OP: It could be that many Prots see it as a case of being ostentatious about one’s faith, a la the Pharisees, where Jesus said not to make a big show of how spiritual one is (pray in one’s closet, don’t make a long face when fasting, and such). Disclaimer: I’m not making any accusations, I’m just trying to answer the OP with a possible reason. Recall that American Christianity was heavily Puritan to begin with, and the P’s were against a lot of outward show (Cromwell even went to the extreme of banning the celebration of Christmas! ).

Personally, I figure, if someone finds that making the SotC edifies their faith, that’s their prerogative.

I wonder what you think of “altar calls”, of “personal testimonies”, of asking stangers in the street “Are you saved?”, or of announcing when winning any minor award for sport or similar frivolous activities “I’d like to thank the Lord God Who made me win”?

You’re right, those aren’t mandatory (the last one’s downright unscriptural to boot), just as making the SotC isn’t.

Anyway the Bible has quite a lot to say about how important the Sign of the Cross is.

I must be missing something: could you refresh my memory with the verses?

Where in the Bible does it say to use wedding rings? To have bride’s maids,etc,etc,etc.

It might be helpful not to conflate theologically compelling issues with cultural ornamentation. The Bible addresses the most vital issues relating to salvation & the spiritual life; cultural practices, as long as they don’t constitute some sort of clear infringement against God’s ways, are moot (you know, the adiaphora, which the ECF’s talked about…and yes, I know, "What criteria do we apply?----->topic for another thread).

Sure, making the sign of the cross isn’t mentioned in the Bible. The words are, though, at the end of the gospel of Matthew: “… baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…”

Sorry, I must really be suffering from incipient Alzheimer’s, because just how do those words even imply the sign of the Cross?

 

[Bbigam]

Sure, making the sign of the cross isn’t mentioned in the Bible. The words are, though, at the end of the gospel of Matthew: “… baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…”

I wasn’t saying that these words imply making the Sign of the Cross. When we make the Sign of the Cross we say (or think) the words, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” All I’m saying is that the words (not the gesture) are straight out of Scripture.

 

[Metamorphoo]

Interesting posts. I think the reason that many Protestants today do not do it is because they consider it a Catholic custom. I do not believe that most of these people have an issue with the Sign of the Cross itself. In fact, I have attended evangelical Protestant churches in which sick people were prayed for and anointed with oil, and a cross (+) was made on their forehead with the oil. It’s still the Sign; they just don’t do the forehead/chest/shoulders type.

I do know that some evangelicals regard the Sign to be of pagan origin (a symbol of the pagan gods Tammuz/Mithras/Attis) and object to its use on those grounds. While it is true that the symbol was used by pagans, I do not think most Christians are aware that prior to the coming of Christ, Jews also used the Hebrew letter tav (the ancient form of which was formed like the letter ‘X’ or a ‘+’)–as a sign that they were “marked,” or belonged, to the Lord. (Kind of like the idea of putting an “x” as your signature on a legal document.) Archeologists have found ancient Jewish ossuaries (burial coffins) with the mark of the tav on them–and were surprised when they discovered that these people were not believers in Jesus.

It was this practice of marking with a tav which is being referred to in Ezekiel 9:4, in which God commanded the man clothed with linen to “set a mark” upon the foreheads of the faithful Jews who grieved over the sins of their nation. The mark spared these Jews from the judgment of death. The same idea is conveyed with the idea of Jesus writing the name of God on the overcomers of Rev. 3:12. Satan also sets his mark on those who belong to him (Rev. 13:17).

It is easy to understand how Christianity took the idea behind the cross-shaped tav mark and adopted it as a Christian symbol. I am not familiar how the symbol evolved from a mark on the forehead (which is mentioned by Church Father Tertullian as a common Christian practice) to the forehead/chest/shoulder form.

 

[nov8r]

Metamorphoo: fascinating stuff! Thanks for posting it.

 

[Bluegoat]

Well, this is just a guess, but a lot of Protestant groups were very big on the faith vs works question, with a fervour that isn’t seen to the same degree today. Because while Catholic doctrine, teaching, and practice today on their view of faith and works is pretty reasonable, in the Reformation period it was in some ways a bit - well, problematic. I think it would be fair to say that works seemed in some cases to be emphasized excessively.

The various protestant Reformers saw themselves as trying to return to a more authentic teaching on this and other issues, and they wanted to live that out in their practice. So some tended to suppress anything that seemed like “works”. They felt that such practices, saying a particular prayer, making a particular movement, making a particular journey, led to the idea (or had actually created the idea) that these things could earn grace.

They thought that was a twisting of Christ’s message, so they tended to reject such practices as dangerous or misleading.

Today we don’t have the problem of lack of balance in that area (works) so much, so it seems like a less important question.

 

[doughnut]

unfortunately, i don’t know many people who make the sign of the cross, outside the church. people i know who are catholics, they do it when they are within church compounds, but say, a dinner outside, suddenly nobody make the sign and say grace before meals.

 

[Petergee]

I wasn’t saying that these words imply making the Sign of the Cross. When we make the Sign of the Cross we say (or think) the words, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” All I’m saying is that the words (not the gesture) are straight out of Scripture.

Also as we touch our forehead, heart and shoulders respectively we represent the Scriptural injunction to "love and serve the Lord God with all your mind, all your heart, and all your strength."

And innumerable times in Scripture we are told that it is by the sign of the Cross that we are saved. What could be more appropriate when praying than to trace the symbol of the Cross on one’s own body? It’s really the same principal as wearing a cross as a pendant, brooch etc. Very few protestants seem to have any problem with that, in fact many of them are very keen on it.

 

[Cathhsmom]

Also as we touch our forehead, heart and shoulders respectively we represent the Scriptural injunction to "love and serve the Lord God with all your mind, all your heart, and all your strength."

And innumerable times in Scripture we are told that it is by the sign of the Cross that we are saved. What could be more appropriate when praying than to trace the symbol of the Cross on one’s own body? It’s really the same principal as wearing a cross as a pendant, brooch etc. Very few protestants seem to have any problem with that, in fact many of them are very keen on it.

I never learned that one.

I do the Glory Be when I hear a siren for those who are in the vehicle and those they are going to help or are helping.

For those who do not know what the Glory Be is:

While doing the Sign of the Cross, you say, “Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”

I am a convert. So, I learned that one while teaching my kids about their faith.

As for doing it as a way to get attention, it is actually quite the opposite. I am trying to say a prayer to God and am trying not to let the feeling of being obvious stop me from doing it since it is part of my prayer. I am a bit self-conscious at times. But, thankfully, I am raising my kids so that it is so natural that they don’t think anything about doing it whereever they are. That is a good thing for this world to be reminded that there are those of us who still believe.

BTW, great conversation. I love how respectful everyone has been.

 

[Bbigam]

I do the Glory Be when I hear a siren for those who are in the vehicle and those they are going to help or are helping.

For those who do not know what the Glory Be is:

While doing the Sign of the Cross, you say, “Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”

Hmm, around here I never see anyone making the Sign of the Cross when they recite the Glory Be. Is that common practice in other places?

 

[MelanieAnne]

Hmm, around here I never see anyone making the Sign of the Cross when they recite the Glory Be. Is that common practice in other places?

I’ve never seen it used in that instance either.