The Sign of the Cross
Objection: “According to the Presbyterian minister, Loraine
Boettner, the ‘sign of the cross’ was introduced into Catholic worship
from paganism in the late third century. Indeed, the cross is a
detestable thing, a pagan symbol of sin and shame.”
Anyone of objective mind and fairness cannot take such claims seriously.
There is no doubt that the cross as an instrument of execution was
considered hideous and fearful in its day. It was the most painful and
degrading punishment inflicted by the ancient Romans on prisoners. After
the Christianization of the Empire, crucifixion was abolished.
However, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Ps. 24[23]:1; 1
Cor. 10:26). Therefore, the Church of Christ has the power and authority to
take any object created by God and attribute to it a Christian meaning, that
is “baptize it,” and employ it in her official worship. Simply because
ancient pagan cultures engaged in certain practices or used certain objects
in their worship does not of itself render those same practices or objects
illicit for all time. Certain pagans would have prayed with the hands
outstretched or used incense in their worship. Should Christians refrain
from doing likewise simply because of that fact? Obviously not.
What was sinful was that such practices and objects were employed in
idolatrous worship. This was the case when incense was offered to worship
Baal, Astarte or Caesar. Nevertheless, Scripture testifies to the use of
incense in the worship of the true God by the heavenly court: “And another
angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given
much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden
altar before the throne” (Rev. 8:3). What meaning an object or practice had
for pagans has, therefore, no relevance for Christians in their worship.
It testifies to the glory and power of Christ that He could take the most
abject of objects and cause it to become the most glorious of all symbols.
For early non-Christians the cross was a “stumbling block” (Gal. 5:11) and
a “shame” (Heb. 12:2). However, as Christians saw in the Cross of Christ
the great love He had for us, the symbol of the cross began to take on a
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