The cross is a ubiquitous symbol of the Christian faith. Even among those churches which display no cross either outside or inside their church buildings, the cross is a dominant symbol of Christianity. In our own church a majestic cross is found in the north window above the organ. The processional crosses are almost always a part of worship. The cross is worn by vested worship leaders, and it is to be found on the paraments adorning the pulpit and altar as well as the chasuble worn by the presiding pastor at Holy Communion. Many of our members and guests make the sign of the cross in remembrance of their baptism when the name of the Triune God is pronounced.
Still we must say that the cross is not our only symbol. The Lord’s table is also a primary symbol which evokes the awareness of the presence of the crucified-risen Lord. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, we began removing the altar cross from the altar during services of Holy Communion. It is a move that I feel is necessary in order to reform our communion practice in such a way to conform with communion practice worldwide and especially with Lutheran understanding of the sacrament.
As a way of introducing the matter let me relate a story from my visit to St. Andrew Church in Malmö, Sweden where I was invited to preach. Before the service Pastor Eilert showed me where I should stand and what I should do. While we were preparing, the warden went to the altar, removed the cross, and prepared the table for the Eucharist. When we had finished the service and greeted the people, we returned to take photos before the chancel. I then saw the warden clean the table, go to the sacristy, and bring back the cross.
The removal of the cross for the services of Holy Communion does not mean to say that the cross has less significance in the nave. Certainly the processional cross continues to speak its meaning. Unfortunately in our nave we cannot see how to put the processional cross closer to the altar. In St. Andrew Church, like most churches, a cross is suspended above the chancel. It so happens that they have a cross called Christus Rex (Christ the King).
In earliest church history a cross was not placed on the Lord’s table. Later as altars were attached to the east wall of church buildings, crosses were placed on the altar itself rather than on the wall. With the liturgical reforms of the Twentieth century the altar has been moved out from the wall toward the congregation, and the cross came with it. This posed little problem for Lutherans if they celebrated Holy Communion every three months or monthly. With no communion meal on the majority of Sundays the cross could remain on the altar. It was inevitable that worshipers would think that a cross should always be on the table.
The removal of the cross for services with Holy Communion intends to emphasize the elements of bread and wine. The Small Catechism states, “Holy Communion is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given with bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us to eat and drink.” The significance of this defining statement by Luther is to point to the primacy of bread and wine, the table, and the faithful surrounding the table as the primary symbols of this visible proclamation of the gospel.
We have needed to work some time now with the altar guild to prepare for these changes. Removing the cross also changes the experience of the assisting pastor and for those seated toward the south end of our nave who must look around the cross in order to see the bread and the cup. We are also trying to minimize the obstruction by the missal (the book used by the presiding pastor) by not using the missal stand. When the missal lies lower on the table, the bread and chalice can be seen by the congregation.
An additional cross is perhaps needed somewhere in the nave. Designing architect, Charles Tapley, is busy working on proposals. First thoughts include the idea of suspending a cross from one of the beams above the table, the font, or even the pulpit. Another proposal would call for a cross to be attached to the windows in the south end of the nave where we enter. A cross could perhaps include the figure of Christ with outstretched arms embracing the world and forming the distinct shape of the cross. Such a figure would encounter all who enter the nave as they prepare for worship. Placing the cross in the south end of the nave would also help us finish the project of stained glass in the nave. This would have the welcome effect of making the entrance to the nave more worshipful.
I am aware how changes in liturgical appointments affect worshipers. Still our sense of catholicity bids us worship and administer the sacraments in a way fitting the universal church. And the Protestant Principle guides us to acknowledge that God alone is our ultimate concern. God reveals the divine, illusive presence in the covenant meal in which the suffering of God is manifest in the broken bread and the cup poured out signaling to all the love which God has for all the world.