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Showing posts from March, 2016

The Dream of the Rood

On this Good Friday, I present to you a different way of seeing the cross. In the ancient Celtic Christian world, they viewed the passion of Christ as Christus Victor . Instead of Christ being understood as a sacrificial substitute for humankind, the ancient Church believed Christ fought the greatest of all battles and rescued humanity and creation by defeating the devil, sin, and death. This view of the cross is still largely held by Orthodox Christians. Below is an Anglo-Saxon Christian dream poem dating back to around the 8th century that reflects Christus Victor . Part of this poem is found on the Ruthwell Cross in Scotland (ancient Northumbria). ~~~ In the Love of the Three in One, Br. Jack+, LC The Dream of the Rood Translation by Elaine Treharne . Listen, I will tell the best of visions, what came to me in the middle of the night, when voice-bearers dwelled in rest. It seemed to me that I saw a more wonderful tree lifted in the air, wound round with light