175th Anniversary Lecture: Robin Jensen on the art and history of the Holy Cross

September 17, 2018
To commemorate the 175th anniversary of the College of the Holy Cross, this lecture explores early art, history and meanings of the namesake, Holy Cross. Robin M. Jensen, Patrick O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, considers the late emergence of the cross and crucifix in art, and illustrates how early representations were as symbols of victory and signs of salvation. Jensen, author of "The Cross: History, Art and Controversy" (Harvard University Press, 2017), teaches at the intersections of Christian theology, liturgical practice, and material and visual culture. Her talk is one of the Deitchman Family Lectures on Religion and Modernity.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

The Christian Cross had its origin in the Roman _tropaeum_ in general and the funerary _tropaeum_ of Julius Caesar in particular. On the night of Caesar's funeral as his body lay in his bier at the foot of The Rostra, a wax mannekin bearing his image and previously nailed to a cruciform _tropaeum_ was raised above the scene. (Francesco Carotta; Was Jesus Caesar?, and The Gospel of Caesar) The Imperial Cult adopted this symbol of Caesar's victory for the funerals of the other, subsequent Caesars (Justin Martyr, 1 Apology 55). Then in the 4th Century CE, Constantine abolished the penalty of crucifixion and the Church adopted the Imperial funerary _tropaeum_ for its Holy Cross, as is evident on the Sarcophagus Domatilla ca 350 CE shown in this video at 18:50.

[@01superfreddy]

Numbers 21:4-9 New International Version The Bronze Snake 4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. John 3:14-16 New International Version 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Galatians 3:1 New International Version 3 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 New International Version 2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 1:18 New International Version Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God Matthew 16:24 New International Version 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

[@mmartinez9764]

The shape of the [two-beamed cross] had its origin in ancient Chaldea, and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name) in that country and in adjacent lands, including Egypt. By the middle of the 3rd cent. A.D. the churches had either departed from, or had travestied, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the prestige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross-piece lowered, was adopted to stand for the cross of Christ.”-An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (London, 1962), W. E. Vine, p. 256.

[@grokphoenix7717]

Jensen is a leading expert on the cross. The summary you just posted is far from the whole story. Listen to what she says and read her book. There is much more to it. God bless brother.

[@rudolfdiezel1614]

Awesome revelation