Theology: The Foundational Doctrines

8 Beautiful Ways the Early Church described the Cross

How did the early Christians turn a Roman execution device into a symbol of salvation? In this video, we explore 8 powerful and surprising ways the Early Church understood the Cross – not just as a mechanism of salvation, but as something beautiful, mysterious, and deeply moving. From the first centuries of Christianity, believers described the Cross using vivid metaphors that touched the imagination: a cosmic tree, a battlefield, a mast of a ship, and more. These images reveal how early Christians grappled with the scandal and glory of Christ’s death — transforming a Roman symbol of terror into the very heart of Christian hope.