A while back I sparked a minor outrage in the Australian evangelical corner of the blogosphere when I suggested that if we were going to be the type of people who wore icons we should wear empty tombs rather than crosses.1 I’m wondering if instead of empty tombs we should wear thrones. If we really want to celebrate where Jesus is at now… actually, lets not make it a dichotomy, or a trichotomy. Lets do all three. Maybe a charm necklace with a cross, an empty tomb and a throne. If there’s one thing Christian culture likes its a bracelet to remind them of significant truths. This may not be a four letter acronym wristband (FLAW), but it could have better production values. You could make them out of appropriate precious stones, with cheaper versions so as not to be exclusive, in fact, in a “last being first, first being last” manner you could sell the cheap material for more. They would sell millions. Does anybody want to help me sell them?
We could do it Ezekiel style (chapter 1):
“26And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.”
Or Revelation style (chapter 4).
2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
1 I reckon I would’ve gotten away with the basic idea of the post had I said “best symbol of our hope” rather than “best symbol of the atonement”…
Comments
Still preferring the visual symbols that Jesus gave us.
Baptism is a sign and seal of our incorporation into the kingdom, and the supper is a sign and seal of the life by which we live in the kingdom.
You’re welcome to keep trying though.
I think you’re missing my point Gary. We don’t put baptism on our walls, or the Lord’s Supper. I agree that those are visual symbols – but they’re performance art rather than installation art.
Just about every church in the country bears a crucifix. While I think the death of Jesus is significant, the resurrection and his seat at the right hand of God are also significant and they get no airtime. Literal air time. On the wall.
We should decorate the front door like the tomb entrance so that we go in and then come out.. oh wait, that’s what baptism does with the whole going under business, right?
Is a crucifix any cross, or only the ones with Jesus hanging on there still?
I am getting your point.
I think you’re missing Jesus’ point.
Baptism and the Supper are representative of the imagery that you’re invoking.
Paul understood that: we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes in the supper. I think the resurrection and the return are included in what we understand in the bread and wine.
And don’t get me started on crosses.
My guys all know I have a secret plan to get rid of ours.