Artist Statement: It is clear that to early Christians the cross symbolized the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His sufferings and subsequent death and resurrection. Over the centuries the cross has become the most important Christian holy symbol. The cross first appeared in Christian art on a Vatican sarcophagus (A wood, clay or metal coffin) around 450 AD, and today can be found in Christian cathedrals and churches worldwide.
The two beams of the cross are representative of the dimensions of God’s redemptive work. The vertical beam symbolizes the broken connection people have with their creator. The horizontal beam represents the human condition of broken relationships with others. The axis is where Christ’s redemptive work took place, restoring our connection with God and others.
The Bible carved into the center of this cross is representative of John’s metaphorical description of Christ found in John 1: 1-5 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”