Why the Cross Wasn’t Always the Symbol of Christianity

The symbol Christians worship today was late to the party

Most people see a cross and think “Christian.” It’s impossible to miss. It’s plastered on churches, dangled on necklaces, carved on graves, inked into tattoos, and even baked into hot cross buns. Christians cling to that thing like it was always their badge. Yet, the cross wasn’t always Christianity’s main logo. For centuries, early Christians wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. And why would they? It was an execution stake. State-sponsored torture gear. The ancient world’s electric chair. The Roman noose.