Posted 394 days ago
It Took Jesus 1,000 Years to Die
by Christine Sine, Godspace
“It took Jesus a thousand years to die.” say Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker in their fascinating book Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire. Brock and Parker traveled the Mediterranean looking for early Christian art that depicted the crucifixion. Instead they found wonderful images of healing, feasting, resurrection, and restoration to Paradise, depicted as a beautiful garden. Very often, the cross was not even present, and if it was, Jesus was always standing in front of it, welcoming the repentant and reconciled.
The authors contend that images of Christ suffering on the cross grew out of the sanctioning of war and violence as a holy pursuit. The earliest images of the crucifixion (i.e. the Crucifix) they found were from the tenth century or later in Northern Europe. What brought about this change? Brock and Parker believe that it was Charlemagne who began the trend. He conquered the Germanic tribes of modern-day France and Germany and forced people to convert to Christianity with war and violence. The earliest Crucifixes were found in the churches of conquered peoples like the Saxons. Most likely, they identified with the suffering Christ on the cross and needed to reflect on the redemptive power of his suffering in order to make sense of their own suffering in the hands of oppressors. And then, in the eleventh century, Pope Urban sanctioned the first Crusade, elevating violence to a practice that leads to salvation. The crucifixion remained a primary symbol in the church ever since then.
I found much to think about in this provocative book that reinforces the fact that God’s grand plan is not war, violence, and cataclysmic end times. Instead it is a renewal of creation and restoration of abundance and mutual concern. I would highly recommend this book to all those who are searching for a life-affirming image of the future of God. If you desire to follow a Christ who defeated death and transformed the world with the Spirit of life, read this book and hear his invitation to join him in making life flourish in all dimensions of wholeness and shalom.
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Reader Comments
This is very interesting, but some researchers may argue that crucifixes are earlier. See http://www.aug.edu/augusta/iconography/cross.html which says as early as 7th century and this says 6th
http://www.jesuswalk.com/christian-symbols/cross.htm
See also
http://www.aug.edu/augusta/iconography/iconographySupplementalImages/crucifixion/lucca.html
Are these reliable?
David Pott » 392 days ago » Link
In July 2008 I discovered Saving Paradise on a stint at Holden Village, along with a collection of essays titled Cross Examinations. These essays, including contributions by Dr. Brock and others is edited by Dr. Marit Trelstad, professor at PLU, whose time at Holden overlapped just a bit with mine. Our conversation was rich and opened thoughtful doors for me. Many theologians today are taking a serious look at our theology of the cross. That’s important work for all of us who think and care deeply about our personal theology, Celtic Christian, Roman Catholic or whatever.
Tom Cashman » 389 days ago » Link
I appreciate these responses. I did not want to give the impression that the Cross is not important. I think that the difference in early Christianity was that the Cross was seen more as the doorway into the kingdom of God – the focus of Christians was more the new world and the new life that God brought into being by the means of the Cross. With the coming of Christendom that emphasis slowly changed to focus more onto the cross itself.
Christine Sine » 381 days ago » Link
I find this article very affirming, as I have felt in recent years that the cross was not the right symbol for Christians to use as their icon. Thank you Christine.
Carrie M. Cone » 393 days ago » Link