The Celtic Cross
By Chris Ellis
Since the crucifixion of Christ, the cross has been central to the Christian faith. It has served as the central focus for worship as Christians gathered to worship our risen Lord. Not only has the cross been central to worship, it has been center to Christian theology, art and life. Its meaning and impact have been hotly debated. What does the cross symbolize? Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? How does the cross impact us today? Take a few minutes and listen to this song The Wonderful Cross originally written by Isaac Watts in 1707 and “updated” recently by Chris Tomlin.
For as long as christians seek to follow Christ we’ll have to keep plunging the limitless depths of the meaning of the cross. Sometimes, looking to how others over the past two millennia have understood the cross helps us to see it in a new way.
In September, a group of 9 folks from 2BC is supposed to travel with a group from Dayspring Church in Town and Country, Missouri to participate in a pilgrimage to Scotland that focuses on Celtic Christianity, which thrived in Scotland between the 5th and 9th century. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have no idea if we’re going to actually be able to travel as a group and experience one of the most important eras of Christian history that, I think, has a lot to say to us now, in our time and in our place.
One of the centerpieces of the Celtic Christianity is the Celtic cross. I’’ll write more about it next week, but for now take a moment and slowly meditate on the pictures as they scroll. What do you notice about it? What’s different than the cross most of us probably think about? What’s the same? After that, take a moment and think about what the cross means to you.