Question about my necklace...

[AngelAmidala]

Okay, I know the topic sounds dumb...but when I was reading a post in Interfaith, this question came to me.

I have this necklace I wear all the time (except to bed and in the shower). It's a gold chain, and it's got a crucifix on it. The cross is gold and Jesus is silver.

I saw a picture of this particular necklace many years ago...like 15 years or so...in a catalog and thought it was just beautiful. My now ex-fiance bought me the necklace I have now our first Christmas together.

I'm not Catholic. I know there are people out there who associate the crucifix with Catholics...and Catholics only.

I personally believe that it's important to remember Christ's ultimate sacrifice...his death on the cross. Yes, he did rise from the dead...leaving an empty cross. But without that first part...Him on the cross...we wouldn't have the second.

My question is this. Is it wrong of me, as a Protestant, to be wearing a crucifix?

I'm just looking for some viewpoints on this. And I know here I'll get good ones!

Thanks!!

 

[VOW]

To Angel,

If you like the necklace, if it means something to you because of your faith, how can it possibly be "wrong"?

Even non-Catholics own Rosaries, LOL!

Some people wear "the empty cross" as merely decoration, an art object. If you are wearing a Crucifix, though, my thoughts would be, "Whoa! That's DEFINITELY a Christian!"

May God always bless you.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[Religious Crisis]

It's up to you, there is no right or wrong on this topic. If you like it and it has meaning to you, wear it.

 

[MissytheButterfly]

I totally agree with the above posts. I wear a gold necklace with a diamond cross charm on it every single day. I feel it is a non-verbal statement of my faith. The only thing in that reguard that I don't wear are the ones with Jesus actually on the cross..only because I feel Jesus has risen and he isn't hanging on the cross anymore. But I don't see anything wrong with someone else wearing one with Jesus on it.

And VOW is absolutely right. I am not Catholic and own a Rosary and I think it's beatiful, and I own a copy of the stations of the cross.
So I think this is one of those "perception" things. To each his/her own.

Bless you.

 

[jukesk9]

Not at all wrong to wear the crucifix. One of the origens of the crucifix comes from St. Paul's command to "Preach Christ Crucified." That's from 1 Cor 12:3 (I think...but it's definately from 1 Cor). Anyway, the Early Church took this to heart and.....presto, the crucifix. Anti-Catholics, not Protestants, but rather those that strive to attack Catholicism, do not like the crucifix because they wrongfully alledge that we don't focus on the risen Christ and that we are "re-crucifying" Him at each and every Mass. Another reason that Protestant Churches don't use the crucifix is because during the Reformation, Luther threw out anything that resembled Catholicism, which obviously the crucifix did/does. The Reformers also argued that the Corpus Christi was an idol, so they stripped it from the Cross. So, that's just a little .02 about the crucifix. God bless.

 

[AlphaPhi]

The Crucifix is not a "Catholic-only" object by any means. My one Baptist friend has a corpus on the cross on his necklace. And of course, Crucifixes are common in Anglican, Episcopal and most Lutheran Churches.

 

[nyj]

Ok, I know this might offend people who prefer to wear the cross over a crucifix, but I'm going to say it anyways.

The cross by itself, without Jesus, means nothing.

An empty cross? Well, Jesus was still dead when they took Him off the cross, right? The cross was empty and Jesus was preaching in Hell for three days. At that point, it wasn't a symbol of Jesus' glory.

If you want to symbolize Jesus victorious over the grave, I would imagine that one would wear a symbol of an empty tomb perhaps, or Jesus ascending into Heaven.

Crosses were used to kill common criminals. And while, for a Christian it was a badge of honor, it does not necessarily have to signify Christ. St. Peter was crucified, so was St. Andrew. Wasn't Spartacus crucified? And we know at least one unrepentent criminal was crucified alongside Jesus. So how do I know that any particular cross represents Jesus Christ?

By seeing Him on it.

That's my opinion, I'm sticking to it.

 

[ZooMom]

I agree with nyj. Christ didn't rise from the Cross, He rose from the tomb. And as I said in another thread, Christ isn't dead on the crucifix. He is suffering. A potent reminder that our gift of Salvation did not come free. It was very dearly bought.

 

[HisLamb]

As others have said, I don't think there's anything wrong with you wearing a crucifix necklace. In fact, the "Suffering Jesus" on the crucifix reminds us all of what a terrific sacrifice Jesus made for us sinners. I prefer to be reminded of His sufferings myself. It helps me to be more grateful, and more in awe of how very much God loves us mere mortals! Yes, He's risen...Alleluia! But remember what He went through to redeem us from sin.

 

[patriarch]

A couple of years ago I was working with an Hispanic young man who wore a large silver crucifix, actually the crucified Christ without the cross itself, against a black T-shirt. It had to be at least nine inches in length. Of course, I was enormously impressed and edified. It was incredibly striking. But he stopped wearing it as soon as he realized that people thought he was religious. He didn't mean anything in particular by it. For him it was just jewelry. Yet I am sure it did a lot of good in the few weeks he wore it. Didn't St. Paul say something to the effect to the effect that he didn't care how it happened, just so long as Jesus Christ was proclaimed. This young man is apt to be very surprised when he gets to Heaven to find that the Lord is giving him credit for the conversions which that jewelry effected.

Brings to mind another incident in the Loop in Chicago on Good Friday a few years ago. I was walking along minding my own business when suddenly approaching me from the opposite direction was a young man, very nicely dressed and groomed and smiling gently, carrying a small ( maybe 12 in high) crucifix through the crowds, against his chest. What a sermon! What evangelism!...and all without a word. It's one of those moments when you'd just like to fall on your face and worship God, not only for His death on the cross, but that he had raised up such a courageous, creative and loving witness.

I am sure there are people downtown with bullhorns "proclaiming the gospel" that haven't yet accomplished anywhere near as much as that young man did that Good Friday afternoon several years ago with his silent witness.

Lee