Symbolism is ubiquitous in religion. Taoism has the simple, yet profound, Taijitu, Buddhism holds dear the Wheel of Dharma, Satanism is represented in the cryptic Sigil of Baphomet, and Christians around the world look to the symbol of the cross. Christianity in particular is full of symbolism, giving it a mystical quality. Symbols that many Christians take for granted, like a cross on top of a steeple, have deep meaning that originated millennia ago. This paper will explain what religious symbolism is, decrypt certain symbols in Christianity, and explore how symbols are being actively used in Christian worship today.
Purpose of Symbols in Religion
Symbols are created to help convey religious concepts. They typically take abstract ideas and associate them with something concrete. These concrete representations of the metaphysical are expressed in many different forms. They can be in the form of a painted circle like the Zen Ensō or in the form of a hammer like the Norse Thor Hammer. There are a number of different reasons a religion would need symbols to help convey its message.
As mentioned before, symbols take something abstract and represent it as something concrete. Humans can at times have a hard time grasping strictly abstract concepts. For example, what is happiness? It’s hard for humans to conjure up what something as abstract as happiness is in their mind without associating it with something concrete first. A concrete representation of happiness might be a gleeful child enjoying her birthday party. This concrete representation makes it much easier for one person to convey the meaning of happiness to another. The same is true with religious symbology.
Another reason religion has equipped people with symbols is because language is terribly finite and limited. Zen Buddhism is explicitly focused on this language gap and makes breaking the language barrier its primary concern (Smith 130). Unlike Zen Buddhism however, the limitations of language are seldom recognized and acknowledged in Christianity except by a subset of Christian adherents known as mystics. Mystics understand that there is phenomena and meaning that exists beyond the words recorded in scripture. For example, when the apostle Paul introduced the concept of the mystical body of Christ to new believers he needed to break free from the language barrier. He came up with a noun to assign the concept to and came up with koinonia. This too was confined to language’s limitations so he sought for a symbol to associate the noun to. What Paul came up with was the image of a body with multiple parts, all working together, with Christ as the head (Smith 337). This symbolism lets the mind make assumptions and escape the limitations of words only. The words that Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, recorded in 1 Corinthians 12, only gave momentum to those extrapolations but the words themselves remained tethered to the medium they were written on.
Exploration of Christian Symbols
Christianity has had a relatively long history and has assumed many symbols along the way. Many of the symbols adopted by the early Church, such as the dove and the ichthys, are still in common use today. Other symbols have fallen out of favor though. For example, the Christian symbol of the pelican is no longer in common use. In this paper both common and uncommon symbols found in Christianity will be explored.
Fig. 1. An ichthys (Fibonacci).
The Ichthys ~ One of the most common symbols in Christianity, the ichthys, is also one of the oldest symbols in Christianity. While simple in appearance, the “Jesus fish” has a rich history. Possibly as early as the first century A.D., early Christians took the Greek word, “ichthys”, and made an acrostic from it. An acrostic is when the first letter of each line in a phrase is taken and a new composition of letters is formed. This acrostic formed the phrase “Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter”, which means “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” Instead of always literally writing out the letters “ichthys”, early Christians commonly resorted to the simple drawing of a fish. Some scholars speculate that the ichthys was used by Christians to mark secret meeting places when Christians were being persecuted for their faith. Legend also claims that the ichthys was used by believers to identify other Christians. Allegedly, when a Christian met a stranger and suspected that the stranger was also Christian, he or she would draw one arc of the ichthys in the dirt. If the stranger completed the ichthys by drawing the other arc, the questioning Christian knew that it was safe to converse with the stranger about their common faith (Coffman).
The Anchor ~ Another symbol adopted by th`e early Christians is the symbol of the anchor. The inspiration for the anchor as a symbol likely came from the passage of scripture found in Hebrews 6:19 where it says, “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul…” (English Standard Version). This scripture is referring to God’s surety and the confidence that a Christian has in it. Evidence for early use of this symbol is found in the fact that it was carved into Christian tombs as old as the first century. The use of the anchor in Christian symbolism has declined and is nearly nonexistent now. Historians speculate that decline of use of the anchor symbol is because the symbol was actually a play on words. The Greek word “ankura“ resembles the Greek phrase “en kurio” which means “in the Lord.” When Christianity became legal in Rome the Christians adopted Latin instead of Greek and the desire to use the symbol of the anchor diminished (Gertz).
Fig. 2. A Latin cross (Boris23).
The Cross ~ Appearing around the 2nd century, the symbol of the cross became a popular, if not the most popular, symbol among Christians. First appearing as a simple “T” shape, the symbol did not evolve until about 230 A.D. when it started being depicted with intersecting lines. The inspiration for the physical appearance of this symbol comes from the instrument of death that took Jesus’ life. The sacrifice of Jesus is at the very core of Christianity and the image of the cross encompasses it effectively. The cross in Christian symbology did not become popular until around 312 A.D. when Emperor Constantine reported having a vision on the eve of battle where an image of the cross appeared in the sky along with the words “In this sign conquer”. Constantine took this to mean that he would have the victory in the upcoming battle, and he did. This led Emperor Constantine to begin supporting Christianity in the Roman Empire and also popularize the symbol of the cross, as well (Stiver).
Fig. 3. Alpha and Omega (Trlkly).
Alpha and Omega ~ The symbols alpha (Α) and omega (Ω) come from the scripture passage found in Revelations 1:8 which reads ”I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, ”who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” The first letter in the Greek alphabet is alpha and the last letter is omega. When Revelations 1:8 is explained in spiritual context, it means that God is the beginning and the end (including anything in between as well). The symbols of alpha and omega have been found in Roman catacombs that early Christians had used for worship (Alpha).
The Dove ~ The symbol of a dove has been used in Christianity since its days in the Roman Catacombs where art depicting doves is found. The inspiration of this symbol may have come from several different sources. First, the dove is mentioned often in the scriptures (46 times). Most any attentive believer would at some point recognize the significance of the dove and find it appropriate to make symbol of it. Not only is the dove symbolic because of its ubiquity in the scripture, but it is also symbolic because in Matthew 10:16 Christ commanded his disciples to be as “innocent as doves”. Lastly, possibly the most symbolic interpretation of the dove is found in Mark 1:10, John 1:32, and Matthew 3:16, which recounts the baptism of Christ. These gospels recount that after Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended from heaven and alighted upon Jesus. This easy to grasp, concrete form of symbolism has made the dove a very popular symbol among Christians and can be found in various art forms around the world (Wellman).
The Pelican ~ A Christian symbol that has been, for the most part, lost in time is the pelican. This unique symbol is explained by a simple legend that surrounds the pelican. Legend has it that in times when food is scarce, a mother pelican will draw blood from her own chest and feed it to her starving baby chicks. The selfless actions of the mother pelican have been paralleled with what Jesus did for the Church. His willing sacrifice of his own blood allowed salvation for the whole world (“Pelican Symbol”).
Fig. 4. The Lamb of God (de Zurbarán).
The Lamb of God ~ A popular symbol in Christian paintings, stained glass, and other mediums is the symbol of the Lamb of God. The history behind the symbol of the lamb goes all the way back to Old Testament times. Christianity claims that when the Jews practiced the Passover and sacrificed a lamb, they were actually symbolizing the future sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In addition to this, John the Baptist literally addressed Jesus as a lamb. In John 1:29 John the Baptist announces as Jesus is walking towards him, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Water ~ An extremely important symbol to Christians is water. Water was not a symbol made up by the early Christians but was instead adopted already in symbol form directly from scripture. Their are two common uses of water in the Bible. The first is the use of water as a cleansing agent and the second use was water as basic necessity for life. There are several examples of literal cleansing with water in the Bible, such as the story of Naaman washing away his leprosy in the Jordan river (2 Kings:5). A symbolic use of water as a cleansing agent in the Bible is baptism. The goal of baptism in not to wash your physical body, but to symbolize the purification of the soul. This symbolic tradition of baptism by water is still observed by Christians today. Obviously, there are many examples of water being used as a necessity for life in the scripture as well. An example of this is when Moses made water come out a rock for the thirsty Hebrew people and their animals (Number 20:11). Jesus himself used this aspect of water as a symbol when he offered the Samaritan woman “living water” rather than the water she was drawing from Jacob’s well (John 4:1-26). Here, Jesus used the basic necessity of water as a symbol for the desperate need of the Holy Spirit.
Wine ~ This popular symbol of wine is one of two elements in the Christian Eucharist (the other symbol being bread). This symbol is plainly interpreted by Jesus himself when he says in Luke 22:20, “This cup that is poured out for you is the covenant in my blood.“ The wine is symbolic of Jesus blood, which he shed for the remission of the sins of all humankind.
Bread ~ Bread, along with wine, is a counterpart of the Eucharist. The symbol of bread, like the symbol of wine, was also directly explained by Jesus Christ. In Luke 22:19, Jesus says after taking bread and breaking it, “This is my body, which is given for you.” Jesus used bread to symbolize his giving of life to humankind.
Symbolism in Christian Worship
Finding symbols in Christian worship is not difficult. They can be as simple as a cross on a pulpit, the sign of the cross being made with the gesture of a hand, or the burning of a candle. One of the best places to find symbology actively being used in Christianity is in the observance of the Sacraments. To prevent over-extending the scope of this paper, the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church will be examined. The reason for this is that as of February 19, 2013 Catholics comprise 50% of all Christians worldwide and 15% of the entire world’s population (Toro). This is despite the fact that Protestants observe only two of the seven sacraments (i.e., Baptism, and Eucharist) and that the Eastern Orthodox Church observes all seven of the Catholic sacraments but is not limited to just those seven and has never officially set a number (Fitzgerald). With this is mind, the seven sacraments are: the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the Sacrament of Confession, the Sacrament of Marriage, the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Baptism and Confirmation ~ The Sacrament of Baptism, almost universally practiced in all Christian denominations minus rare exceptions, is full of symbology. The literal symbolic act of baptism, either by submersion, immersion, aspersion, or any other mode involving water, is mystical in and of itself without even considering its subcomponents. The symbolism behind the use of water is what makes this sacrament special though. It is a spiritual cleansing being depicted by the elemental symbol of water. Since the Sacrament of Confirmation is an extension of the symbolism found in baptism, this brief mention of it will suffice.
Holy Communion ~ Several common Christian symbols are found in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. This paper already explained the origins and meaning of the two main symbols found in Holy Communion: bread and wine. These symbols have been kept alive by diligent Christians for more than two thousand years.
Confession ~ While the psychological benefits obtained when performing the Sacrament of Confession are of great import, their is a tremendous symbolic undertone to the sacrament as well. In addition to the relief one feels after confessing a sin(s) to a confession taker, the literal act of confession symbolizes a desire from the believer to be reconciled to God. It symbolizes the Christian’s desire to eliminate the separation from God caused by their sins.
Marriage ~ Another sacrament that actively uses symbols is the Sacrament of Marriage. By definition, marriage is a joint union between two individuals that is consensual and recognized by the law, but in Christianity it means much more than this (“Marriage”). Marriage in Christianity symbolizes the bond between Christ and the Church. This concept is explicitly illustrated in Ephesians 5:21-33. In verse 22 Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” The love and devotion expressed between a married couple is one of the Church’s most cherished symbols.
Holy Orders ~ A symbol unique to this paper so far, the laying on of hands, is found in the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Sacrament of Holy Orders’ purpose is to continue Christ’s priesthood that was bestowed on his Apostles (McCauley). In the process of ordaining a new member into the Church’s priesthood there are specific steps that must be taken. The Sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by “the laying of hands followed by a solemn prayer of consecration asking God to grant the ordained the graces of the Holy Spirit…” (“Catechism” 1597). The laying on of hands mentioned here symbolizes the bestowal of blessings, authority, and distinctiveness. It is the symbolic representation of God setting aside an individual for holy use, whatever their holy service is to be (Collins).
Anointing of the Sick ~ The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, also known as Last Rights or Extreme Unction, carries with it certain symbolic values. Symbols found in the Last Rights include candles, a crucifix, oil, an olive branch, and a chalice. The candle symbolizes Christ, who is described in the Bible as the Light of the World (John 8:12). The symbolic crucifix is used in this sacrament as an agent of healing. Ideally, a hurting person will relate to suffering Christ experienced on the cross and their soul will experience a closer communion with him. Oil is used as a literal cure much like the Apostles used oil to heal the sick, but the oil also symbolizes Christ’s healing grace as well. The olive branch used symbolizes the solace that the Spirit gives because of the performance of the Anointing of the Sick. The chalice used in the sacrament is meant to symbolize the cup of suffering that the sick individual is called to bear. It reminds the sick that Jesus drank from his cup of suffering and was able to bear it, so by God’s grace they can too (van Sloun).
Symbolism is a vital part of religion. It helps take an abstract concept or idea found in a religion and make it more accessible to people by giving them something concrete with which to associate it. Symbols also break down language barriers that keep believers from discovering the meaning behind some of the more mystical portions of a religion. Christianity has had a rich history of symbols and started adopting symbols as early as it’s inception. Some of Christianity’s symbols have fallen out of favor, such as the symbol of the sacrificial mother pelican, but other symbols have stayed in strong and constant use. The widely observed seven sacraments harbor many symbols and keep many of Christianity’s symbols alive due to active worship. These symbols vary from the wine and bread of the Eucharist, to the love and devotion committed to one another in a Christian marriage. Symbols brings an attainability to religion and allow mortal humans to approach the metaphysical and spiritual.Works Cited
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