Cross or Crucifix

The plain Latin cross is primarily a "simplified" crucifix. Christianity has a long history of different cruciform symbols with various degrees of meaning.

One could see the use of a plain Latin cross as a vacant cross--the Son of God taken down from the cross, laid in the tomb, and having risen from the dead. And that is a beautiful symbol. I love that symbolism.

The crucifix specifically calls our mind to Christ's passion and death, His work of atonement. Which is why it often features prominently in Lutheran contexts as Lutherans see ourselves as "Cross people". Luther once said in his 28 Theses of the Heidelberg Disputations that a true theologian does not understand God in His invisible qualities of glory, power, and wisdom; but in His visible revelation: In the Incarnate Jesus Christ who suffered and died for us. To know God in God's suffering on the cross is the mark of a true theologian: I.e. God is not defined chiefly in abstract concepts, but rather is defined by Himself in His Word Incarnate, in the Incarnate Person of Jesus Christ our Lord.

In the East a more common symbol is the Christus Rex:



The Risen, Glorified Christ superimposed on the cross showing His victory over death and the grave. Christ is King, the King who rose and has conquered sin, death, hell, and the devil and is ascended and seated at the right hand of the Father. The Crucified-Risen King who lives forever.

All of these are beautiful symbols of Christian faith. Though I do admit that the traditional western crucifix is often what resonates most deeply with me--as I am drawn visually into meditation and contemplation over the Savior's loving Self-offering of Himself for me, a wretch and sinner. That I do not know God in power or wisdom, in sagacious philosophy and human reason, but rather I know God in Christ Crucified. He died for me, an ugly unlovely sinner, deserving of death and hell.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 - 2:1-5

I have both, and my parish displays both in different parts of the church building. The crucifix is, for me, a powerful image of the Incarnation, God taking on humanness in all the pain that that entails. The cross is a little more abstract, an image that's a little easier to look at on a daily basis, but still a reminder of the pain of the Incarnation and the risks of the life to which we are called.

If I'm looking for an image of the resurrection, probably the Christus Rex image is the best one for me. (My parish church has one of those as well, hanging in the narthex.)

I believe Jesus and not a cross or crucifix.

Both

1 Cor 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness:

I am moved by paintings and such of the crucifixion, at rare times even moved to tears, like during an Easter play. But seeing the crucifix too often is not good I feel. It does become ordinary after awhile and then even odd. Primarily bcse His death was only one moment of His life - the rest of His ministry and His current life with us, and our future life with Him, I think of Him as alive, my God, my friend, so it makes the crucifixion out of place sometimes.

Also we don't really know what Jesus looks like, and it strikes me as a image of God would. Jesus is too great to be understood as only an image or carving of someone's imagination.

Always in His Presence said:

Growing up in the Roman Catholic Church the Crucifix was always the symbol we had in the home. After leaving the church and becoming Pentecostal, now it is a Cross.

Which do you choose, and why.

Let's show our good Christian attitude and take jabs at each other.

For me - I choose the Cross, because I view it like I view the empty tomb - the Risen Savior.

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Never thought over this. Thank you for the thread. i use indifferently both