The Crucifix (Latin "cruci fixus") began being seen around the 10th century in the mother Church. This Crucifix literally means "one fixed to a cross" showed not just the torture device used to murder Christ, but an image of his suffering body affixed to the cross. These symbols can be often gruesome and disturbing. Early protestant reformers such as John Calvin were vehemently opposed to both the Cross and the Crucifix and saw them similar to pagan symbols of idolatry. Calvin argued and rightfully so that "Christ is no longer on the cross", hence why would one worship an image of him hanging on it?

Other religions today do not use the cross as well. Mormons for example prefer to worship the resurrected Christ, and not focus on his death, but his resurrection and life. Jehovah's Witnesses like Calvin see the cross as a sign of idolatry. Other churches Protestant denominations today, particularly Unitarian sects avoid use of the cross and instead focus on more positive images of Christ.

 

At the Gospel of Christ.Org, we do not use the sign of the cross on our site because of the negative connotations associated with it, from Constantine's use as a token of military victory, to Calvin's view of it as a sign of idolatry and the fact that we prefer to contemplate the resurrection of Christ, and -not focus on the few hours he spent suffering on the Cross. Christ was not the only person to have died on a cross. Tens of thousands lost their lives through this brutal Roman torture, most of whom spent much longer on the cross than Christ. On one occasion in retaliation to an uprising Pilate crucified 3000 Jews on Calgary. The average time of death on the cross was approximately 3 days. The Romans were adept at prolonging the agony by ensuring not to puncture any vital organs during the crucifixion process. Nails were either driven through the wrist bone to support the body or ropes were used in addition to help support the victim. The victim usually died from asphyxiation, as they would grow to weak to lift themselves up on the ankle bone in order to breath. The elongated position of the body caused them to not be able to adequately inhale, and the victim would die slowly by not being able to take in enough oxygen. Christ was killed early in a custom where the Romans would recognize Jewish custom of not having an unclean body hanging on the cross on Sabbath. The Romans would break the knees of a victim which would then cause them to not be able to raise themselves up to breath, and they would die from lack of oxygen. When the Romans came to Christ he was already dead and they pierced his side with sword for good measure. Thus Christ's time on the cross ended in less than half a day, far less than the usual 3 days of agony endured by most victims. Christ's real agony occured hours earlier in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Christ gave us ways to remember him by, the main one being the Sacrament of the Last Supper. "This do in rememberance of me" he said. He did not tell us to take a image of the torture device he was murdered on and tie it around our neck. Thus you will not see the cross on the TGOC website. We prefer to focus on the living Christ, and not fixate on his death.