Why is the Cross at the heart of Christian Anthropology?
Christian Anthropology is the study of humans and Theology is the study of God. Jesus Christ was 100% God and 100% man. Accordingly Jesus can be studied in both Anthropology and Theology. Therefore the cross is at the heart of Anthropology because it is the study of Jesus God-man and humans who crucified Him on the cross.
Christian Anthropology is a word made with two Greek words, Anthropos meaning “man” and logos meaning “word, matter, or thing.” Furthermore we use the word Christian “anthropology” to the study of man in reference to the Scripture. Therefore it involves studies and creation of man who was created in the “image of ...view middle of the document...
However the cross sometimes refers to trials, afflictions which those who have faith as little as a mustard seed have to go through, if they follow Christ with their heart and mind. This is illustrated by Jesus Christ words in (Matthew 10:38) where He says, "He who takes not his cross and follows after me, cannot be my disciple." Christ suffering on the cross was fore-ordained by God the father. The evil man who crucified Christ did not come on Him by chance or accident. It was all prearranged, pre-thought and agreed before the foundation of the earth. The cross was the only suitable (thing) piece of wood to provide everlasting salvation for sinners. Accordingly all that Jesus suffered, the pain, the shame, the abandonment and every drop of His precious blood He shed was appointed long ago. God the father planned that redemption should come through the cross. Furthermore God the father brought Jesus to the cross during the right time. He was crucified "by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God." (Acts 2:23).
The History of the cross
History of the cross
The Egyptians were the earliest known nation to use the cross, the cross-like symbol known as the ankh is the Egyptian symbol for life. This cross was later adopted by Christians after the crucifixion of Jesus. This cross has a loop above the crossbeam which was adopted by the Coptic Christians and renamed the "Coptic Cross, furthermore it is known within Catholicism as the handled cross. Christians were persecuted for using, promoting the cross before and during the reign of Constantine.
However, something deep touched Constantine and he converted to Christianity. This something deep was the early Christians who testified that they were followers of the man called Christ who gave them something so wonderful that they would not consider an alternative. Their impact was so powerful that in the fourth century the emperor Constantine recanted of his opposition and embraced Christianity, declaring it the official religion of the Roman Empire. Accordingly as a Christian Constantine removed crucifixion as a means of execution, therefore the crosses began to become popular as Christian symbols. This freedom gave Christians opportunities to use the cross as representing Jesus's body on the cross. This image known as the crucifix was officially adopted by the Christian Church by the 7th century. Furthermore earliest crucifixes represented Jesus as alive and free from pain to emphasise his resurrection and victory over death.
The Christians’ choice of a cross as the symbol of their faith has surprised many listeners in Corinthians as crucifixion was (regarded as shameful, humiliating form of execution in the ancient world). This is illustrated by Paul’s “message of the cross” was to many of his listeners “foolishness,” even “madness” (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23). The Corinthians were asking how could any sane person worship as a god a dead man who had been justly condemned as a criminal crucified...
