Why do Protestants use a cross, instead of a Crucifix? I am a Catholic, and whenever I go to Mass, the crucifix is a pretty good reminder of what Jesus went through to clean me of my sins. So why don't Protestants have one up?
I am just wondering, I don't mean to offend anyone.
2007-04-26 06:57:34 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's a matter of focus. Catholics view the crucifix and remember the sacrifice of death. Protestants look at the empty cross and remember the miracle of resurrection.
2007-04-26 07:02:09 · answer #1 · answered by lizardmama 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Many of my Protestant friends say that the crucifix focuses too much on the death of Jesus and not enough on the resurrection. A "bare" cross encompasses the entire mystery.
For me as a Catholic, I'm a "6 of one, half dozen of the other" kind of gal. Both the cross and the crucifix having significant meaning for me.
2007-04-26 07:03:07 · answer #2 · answered by Church Music Girl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm Catholic too and I think that both crosses are great sacramentals for all Christians. One of the reason I think we use the crucifix is because St.Paul teaches us to preach Christ crucified. The crucifix is a strong reminder of the price Jesus paid for sin. I love that in most Catholic churches there is a giant crucifix in the center which is a great focusing point in prayer. God Bless
To answer the person 2 down - that is a common misconception. We are not worshiping the statues or crucifixes but they are reminders and they remind us to pray. They are called sacramentals.
Read this -
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13292d.htm
2007-04-26 07:14:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Here would be your answer...
Roman Catholic depictions of the cross are often crucifixes, in order to emphasize Jesus' sacrifice. Many Protestant traditions depict the cross without the corpus, interpreting this form as an indication of belief in the resurrection rather than as representing the interval between the death and the resurrection of Jesus.
2007-04-26 09:18:11 · answer #4 · answered by Nibbles 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i'm a Protestant (who needs to and could at some point convert to the Catholic faith) and that i positioned on a Crucifix. To me, the Crucifix is the finest seen and symbolic reminder of the perfect SACRIFICE EVER MADE with the aid of somebody. A sacrifice made with love, compassion and forgiveness. we are ALL in charge for what got here approximately on that very first reliable Friday, our sinning, our rejection and refusal to have self assurance in Jesus, who he became into (and nevertheless is) and each thing that he mentioned and did. I stay with my Grandparents (one in all whom is rather anti-Catholic) and positioned on the Celtic so-called 'go'. I used to positioned on one till I examine an editorial on an information superhighway website and discovering of its pagan origins and utilization as a logo of race hate with the aid of neo-Nazi, neo-facist, white supremacist race hate communities and firms as their style and from then on i finished wearing one. additionally, Protestants declare that the empty go symbolises the Resurrection. How can an empty go symbolise the Resurrection? The empty go has no which skill...the Crucifix does!!!
2016-12-10 12:10:27 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are Protestants who use the crucifix with the statue of Jesus on it, I know that the Lutherans do (I was baptized Lutheran and went to Lutheran churches a few times in my life).
Others don't use it because the Bible says you should not worship pictures and not make pictures of God. As Christians believe that Jesus is divine, a crucifix that shows Jesus can be considered an image of God and praying in front of it could be considered idolatry.
2007-04-26 07:30:08 · answer #6 · answered by Elly 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Protestants focus more on the risen Christ and less on His passion and death.
I'm a Catholic, and I believe that it's alright and proper to focus on His Passion because 1) it gives our own sufferings and travails meaning and hope, and 2) also because it's something that our Lord had to go through to get to the Resurrection - there wouldn't have been a Risen Christ without His passion and death to atone for our sins first.
I'm not saying any of this to diss Protestants - I personally know many that are fine Christians - I personally believe we have more in common than we have that would divide us.
2007-04-26 07:12:11 · answer #7 · answered by the phantom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you mean the difference is the Catholics have Jesus on the cross?
The answer is, I don't know. My church doesn't have a cross in the front of the sanctuary, we have an emblem of the dove, i.e., the holy spirit. Some protestant churches have a cross, some don't. I don't think it means anything, we believe the same as you, that He suffered and died on a cross for us.
2007-04-26 07:04:05 · answer #8 · answered by Esther 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People have given the answer, but to make it official (because I say so, lol) it is because the cross represents our victory through Jesus' sacrifice, but he is no longer there.
Outside of the spiritual significance it has for me, I do think it a little odd, though. The symbolism in the day was morbid and somewhat taboo. Imagine if it happened in today's times and people all wore nooses, electric chairs, or hypodermic needles around their necks.
And to really get off topic, why do we even bother to use sterile needles to execute by lethal injection? What does it matter if it's sterile?
On the topic of cleansing sin, I am going to send an e-mail, my friend.
2007-04-26 07:44:26 · answer #9 · answered by Whootziedude 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many Protestants do.
Most of those are denominations that were originally Catholic. Such as the Anglicans and Lutherans.
The crucifix is also a reminder of how OUR suffering can help this sad old world. Or remind us of those who are suffering and might need our help.
2007-04-26 07:03:04 · answer #10 · answered by Max Marie, OFS 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋