AHC: Christianity's main symbol is not the cross

[LHB]

Now I understand why OTL the cross became the main symbol of Christianity but when you think a bit the choice is rather gruesome considering the other options floating around. The cross was, at its time, a symbol of Roman oppression, an incredibly painful way to die, and pretty gruesome in many respects. In some ways it would not be too different from a modern religion using the electric chair as part of their iconography because the founder was executed in one.

Yet you had some other symbols floating around that could work just as well. There's the famous fish which is one of the earliest ones we know of. Jesus was also referred to as the Lamb of God and often depicted as a lamb. You could also go with the Dove to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Either way in the early days of Christianity it's not like there weren't other possible options.

What would be the most likely symbol to supplant the Cross, why, and what impact would this have on the development of Christianity?

 

[BBadolato]

It's hard, unless we don't have the Crucifixion of Jesus of all, but he still is executed

 

[Pangur]

It's hard, unless we don't have the Crucifixion of Jesus of all, but he still is executed

Not so sure about that. The fish was used as a symbol long after that happened.

 

[seraphim74]

Another possibility is Chi-Rho or Christ's monogram, used, among others, by Constantine the Great.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_Rho

 

[Nofix]

Just some thoughts

Fish
Lamb
Trees (I've heard over the years from a couple of people that say Jesus was crucified on a tree and not a cross in the untranslated Bible, but I don't think that's right.)
Lion

 

[WhatIsAUserName]

The cross is the easiest symbols to draw, and convenience is probably something necessary to create a widespread symbol. Thus, unless there's a world where Jesus wasn't crucified, the next easiest symbol should be the most common. That would be the fish. Chi Ro is also pretty easy to draw. Other animals, like a lamb or lion, would be harder to draw. A crown might be easier, but that might be too political to be widespread.

Fish
Lamb
Trees (I've heard over the years from a couple of people that say Jesus was crucified on a tree and not a cross in the untranslated Bible, but I don't think that's right.)
Lion

I don't think anybody thinks Jesus was crucified on a tree, but it seems Jehovah's Witnesses think that the instrument of crucifixion was a stake, and refer to it in such terms.

 

[Widukind]

The cross is the easiest symbols to draw, and convenience is probably something necessary to create a widespread symbol. Thus, unless there's a world where Jesus wasn't crucified, the next easiest symbol should be the most common. That would be the fish.

Exactly. The Ichthus (fish) also has the advantage of already being one of the most common symbols of early Christianity. It could realistically have become a more widespread symbol than the cross. Also, it's directly associated with Jesus's divine nature in two ways: 1) in greek, it is an acronym (IΧΘΥΣ = Ἰησοῦς Χριστός Θεοῦ Υἱός Σωτήρ = Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior), and 2) it can be associated with the miracle of the loaves and the fishes.

 

[LSCatilina]

The sun and roster was a widely used symbol of resurrection as well.

 

[Simreeve]

The sun and roster was a widely used symbol of resurrection as well.

But those also have Mithraic connotations...

 

[Avitus]

Another possibility is Chi-Rho or Christ's monogram, used, among others, by Constantine the Great.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi_Rho

In a dominant surviving Christian Roman Empire scenario I can definitely imagine the Chi-Rho being the most popular symbol. Other than that I'm not sure, but never ending Rome is a fun cliche, and certainly not totally impossible.

 

[LSCatilina]

But those also have Mithraic connotations...

Basically ALL christian symbolism share features with other religions.
But here, I think the biblical roots of such are clearly proven, as well in Old Testament (where the roster is assimilated to God's call, intelligence, virility) and the New (resurrection, Peter's denying,...)
These imageries can be found in II century Palestine, by example.

 

[Garbageman]

Now I understand why OTL the cross became the main symbol of Christianity but when you think a bit the choice is rather gruesome considering the other options floating around. The cross was, at its time, a symbol of Roman oppression, an incredibly painful way to die, and pretty gruesome in many respects. In some ways it would not be too different from a modern religion using the electric chair as part of their iconography because the founder was executed in one.

QUOTE]

Yeah, but that's kind of the point isn't it? Forgiving brutality, rising again in the face of oppression, etc.?

 

[Nofix]

Yeah, but that's kind of the point isn't it? Forgiving brutality, rising again in the face of oppression, etc.?[/QUOTE]

And what better way to spit in you oppressors face than to take their things (symbols, seat of government, and country in this case) and reattribute it to yourself?

 

[elkarlo]

Fish
Lamb
Trees (I've heard over the years from a couple of people that say Jesus was crucified on a tree and not a cross in the untranslated Bible, but I don't think that's right.)
Lion

Wonder if wood and tree are the same word in Aramaic, or Ancient Greek

 

[Nofix]

Wonder if wood and tree are the same word in Aramaic, or Ancient Greek

That's probably what people got hung up on, like I said I've only heard it from a couple people, and I was never quite sure where they got that idea.

 

[Evan]

Wonder if wood and tree are the same word in Aramaic, or Ancient Greek

Not in Greek, and I don't think in Aramaic either. However, the Bible does sometimes poetically refer to the cross as a tree. For instance, quoting the KJV because it translates those references literally:

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree"

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead.

whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Still, the Gospels clearly refer to it as a cross, and say that Jesus was condemned to carry the cross to the place of execution - which would be hard to arrange with a tree.

As for the emblem, I'd recommend the Ictheus fish for the reasons the above posters gave.

 

[Petike]

You can always use the "secret Jesus acronym fish" or some version of a chrismon. (In my sci-fi universe, the chrismon is used as a symbol of Christian unity, despite the faith still consisting of individual branches and churches.)

For other animal symbols, maybe a lamb or a sparrow (the sparrow referencing Jesus' comment on how God looks after humans as much as he looks after every single sparrow). Or a dove, given how it tends to represent the Holy Spirit and its presence at Jesus' baptism in OTL depictions.

Or, ironically enough (if you know about Hussitism), maybe all Christians would use a chalice and a loaf of bread as their symbol (if the Last Supper still took place).

 

[Dom Pedro III]

Good luck trying to ward off a vampire by making the sign of the Jesus fish with your fingers...

 

[Petike]

Good luck trying to ward off a vampire by making the sign of the Jesus fish with your fingers...

I'll beat vampires over the head with a very large trout. Or catfish.

 

[Emperor Julian]

Have the Romans decide to let the Jewish authorities enact the punishment, and they stone Jesus, making Christianity's symbol a rock.