How do we make sense of the cross? 
Theories of atonement, of the crucifixion and resurrection, abound. Our Making Sense of the Cross courses with David Lose can help you understand the ways that theologians and lay people have tried to make sense of the cross over the millennia. Because whatever we say and believe about the cross, we also say and believe about God. As we journey through Holy Week, it might pay to ponder these questions anew, either at home on your own, or with a small group.
And yet we also should remember David Lose’s injunction to view the cross not just as a sign or a theory, but as an experience: “What if the gospels aren’t just a record of the cross but an invitation to experience God?” How do we experience Jesus through the troubling miracle of the crucifixion and resurrection? If we think of the cross this way, what can we learn about what we believe and why we go to church? Who is Jesus?
We would love to hear, in the comments below or in your own social media posts (use hashtag #churchnext), what new realizations about Jesus you have this week, or what old truths about the cross you are reminded of. And don’t forget to take part in The Big Class: A Simple Path to a Deeper Spiritual Life, which runs for free through Easter Day.
We pray that this Holy Week brings you a renewed sense of the closeness of God-with-us and of your own call to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
Whatever we say about the cross, we are also saying about God. So what does the cross mean? What can it tell us about God? How can it help us approach, understand, and know God better? In Part III of this three-part series, David Lose introduces us to the three most popular theories, or ways of understanding the Cross, that Christians have turned to through the years.