Good Friday and Easter--A Balanced Approach

[ChristianRealist]

It seems that some churches that are into "positive thinking" only emphasize Easter, while other churches obsess over sin and suffering and guilt and emphasize Good Friday. I think that BOTH are important to remember and reflect upon.

 

[Albion]

It seems that some churches that are into "positive thinking" only emphasize Easter, while other churches obsess over sin and suffering and guilt and emphasize Good Friday. I think that BOTH are important to remember and reflect upon.

But I don't know of any Christian church that thinks of Good Friday as more important than Easter. Or even equal to it in importance.

 

[ChristianRealist]

But I don't know of any Christian church that thinks of Good Friday as more important than Easter.

This is a generalization, but Catholics tend to focus more on the crucifixion while Protestants tend to focus more on the resurrection--note that Catholic crosses have Jesus still on it while Protestant crosses do not. Also, even if they don't tie it explicitly to the crucifixion or to Easter, some churches are more "happy" while other churches are more "hell and brimstone."

 

[Albion]

This is a generalization, but Catholics tend to focus more on the crucifixion while Protestants tend to focus more on the resurrection

I don't think that's true.

note that Catholic crosses have Jesus still on it while Protestant crosses do not

This is a historic development, but doesn't reflect upon the Good Friday vs. Easter issue you raised. A cross with a corpus does remind us of Christ's suffering--which is important to remember, but that's about all that's implied there.

Also, even if they don't tie it explicitly to the crucifixion or to Easter, some churches are more "happy" while other churches are more "hell and brimstone."

That may be so, but I assure you that even this does not reflect a perspective on how to rank Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Every church that you can name holds that the Resurrection is the payoff, as it were, and without that happening, all that Jesus taught and claimed would have gone to the grave with him. Those churches that ARE hell and damnation types, by the way, often are those that pay the least attention to observing Good Friday. Their emphasis draws more from the basic New Testament teaching that we will be held accountable at the judgment, unlike some churches that tend to feel that God's too merciful to make the Ten Commandments much more than the Ten Suggestions.

 

[ebia]

But I don't know of any Christian church that thinks of Good Friday as more important than Easter. Or even equal to it in importance.

In theory maybe not. But plenty of Anglican evangelical preachers only really preach on the cross with the resurrection as a sort of necessary happy ending.

 

[ebia]

This is a generalization, but Catholics tend to focus more on the crucifixion while Protestants tend to focus more on the resurrection-

Oft quoted, but not true in my experience.

Protestant views of the whole thing tend to put the emphasis on the atonement of the cross, and less on Christus Victor and new creation.

East- west there is maybe more difference, with west speaking more of cross and crucifixion and east more of incarnation and resurrection.

-note that Catholic crosses have Jesus still on it while Protestant crosses do not. Also, even if they don't tie it explicitly to the crucifixion or to Easter, some churches are more "happy" while other churches are more "hell and brimstone."

 

[Albion]

In theory maybe not. But plenty of Anglican evangelical preachers only really preach on the cross with the resurrection as a sort of necessary happy ending.

Hmm. I must have I've missed out on every last one of them, and me an evangelical Anglican! Either that, or there aren't "plenty" of them after all.

 

[ebia]

Hmm. I must have I've missed out on every last one of them, and me an evangelical Anglican! Either that, or there aren't "plenty" of them after all.

Maybe they are more common over here than over there. Seriously my previous rector would preach on the cross at every major opportunity - Christmas, Good Friday, Easter day, any service where he was expected visitors. I think he had preached on resurrection once once in 5 years. And he's not a-typical.

After 5 years of me, and some good influence from Peter Corney, he's started to talk about "... the cross ... and resurrection" but it still sounds like an afterthought.

And while I haven't done a statistical analysis, my impression from listening to a fair few sermons out of All Souls Langham Place is that cross/crucifixion gets talked about a lot more than resurrection. Give him cause to talk about it and Chris Wright, say, has all the right things to say but it the everyday balance seems clear enough.

 

[Albion]

Maybe they are more common over here than over there.

Well, that did cross my mind when I read your post, but i think the premise is what's at fault. I have to agree that I know some hell and damnation preachers, although none of them are Anglicans. However, that doesn't mean that Good Friday is made more important than Easter. All of them make Easter the biggest day in the church year, even if they preach on the consequences of sin a lot.

Seriously my previous rector would preach on the cross at every major opportunity - Christmas, Good Friday, Easter day, any service where he was expected visitors. I think he had preached on resurrection once once in 5 years. And he's not a-typical.

I believe you, but 'preaching on the (importance of the) cross' and having a fascination with Good Friday are two different things.

 

[ebia]

I believe you, but 'preaching on the (importance of the) cross' and having a fascination with Good Friday are two different things.

Are they? Looks like splitting hairs to me.

 

[Albion]

Are they? Looks like splitting hairs to me.

Of course they are. The consequences of sin--hell, separation from God, eternal punishment, however one puts it--is a major theme of the NT. Being fixated on the suffering that Jesus endured on the day of his death (as was the suggestion) is something quite different.

 

[ebia]

Of course they are. The consequences of sin--hell, separation from God, eternal punishment, however one puts it--is a major theme of the NT. Being fixated on the suffering that Jesus endured on the day of his death (as was the suggestion) is something quite different.

They are important - but so is resurrection. The question at hand is the balance between the two.

 

[Albion]

They are important - but so is resurrection. The question at hand is the balance between the two.

And my opinion remains the same as before. I'm skeptical of the accuracy of both of the following statements.

It seems that some churches that are into "positive thinking" only emphasize Easter, while other churches obsess over sin and suffering and guilt and emphasize Good Friday.

In theory maybe not. But plenty of Anglican evangelical preachers only really preach on the cross with the resurrection as a sort of necessary happy ending.

Both mischaracterize what is thought by those unidentified pastors or churches with regard to Good Friday and Easter Day, IMO.

 

[ebia]

And my opinion remains the same as before. I'm skeptical of the accuracy of both of the following statements.

Both mischaracterize what is thought by those unidentified pastors or churches with regard to Good Friday and Easter Day, IMO.

So we disagree.

 

[jackofhearts]

In old times, there is alot of stuff that Protestants and Catholics disagree on. Catholics tend to be more "strict" and thus they learn how to harness the power of "faith" at a young age. Protestants are forced to learn in the hard way and then connect a little later. Teachings of our Lord are both, "on Earth as it is in Heaven". The advice you recieve is advice you should implement on Earth

Everybody sins, everybody suffers...this is a normal part of your journey on earth. Learn from this