This is one study that I cannot wait to get into! The symbol of the cross has represented strength, hope and encouragement to Christians for two thousand years, so a closer look at the images of the cross throughout history is sure to be an exciting one!

Written by an art history teacher at a major university, The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life looks like it will provide us with a study that will surely refresh…

At the center of Christianity sits the cross of Christ. From the beginning, Christ’s followers celebrated the cross as a symbol of their faith. It was honored in church worship, carved into rough tombstones, pressed onto loaves of bread and set out as a sign of sanctuary. The cross represented what Christ believed, who they hoped for and how they approached life.

In this thoughtful book Judith Couchman takes up forty images of the cross from early Christianity. We discover their meaning and learn a little about the early church. More than that, she helps us focus on the significance of the cross and the Savior’s sacrifice.

These artful readings will enrich your understanding of Christian tradition, draw you into Christ’s presence and deepen your appreciation for the mystery of the cross.

Are you ready to be drawn more into Christ’s presence? Yeah, me too…

Over the next few weeks one person from this project will lead us through each part of the book sharing their thoughts, perspectives, and feelings. And we’ve got an exciting lineup of people who will be helping us work through the book together!

The schedule along with who will be sharing is as follows:

• introduction – Dan King, @bibledude (bibledude.net)

1. ancient echoes of Christ: the cross in pre-christian times– Nancy Rosback, @PoemsPrayers (Poems and Prayers)
2. the pain and the glory: the cross and the suffering Savior– Sean Wrench, @forsakengen (Forsaken Generation)
3. early signs of faith: the cross and the first believers– Laura Boggess, @lauraboggess (The Wellspring)
4. the great conversion: the cross and early religious freedom– Bethany Hostetler
5. daily signs of salvation: the cross in ancient everyday life– Heather Wolcott, @hljourney (HL’s Journey)
6. ways to worship: the cross in early church life– Crystal Rowe, @SoulMunchies (Soul Munchies)
7. enduring mysteries: the cross and its eternal power– Bryant Neal

• closing thoughts – Judith Couchman, @judithcouchman (Notes from Judith)

So stay tuned for some great discussion, and please feel free to jump into the comments and share your thoughts! In the meantime, here are a few things that you can do right now…

• Buy the book. It will be a much better experience for you if you follow along in your own copy of the book.
• Subscribe to updates. Get the latest posts in this series in your email inbox or favorite feed reader. This is the best way to keep up with everything!
• Tweet it up! Follow @bibledude and retweet updates from this event. If you want to share your own tweets, make sure that you use the #thecross hashtag.