Book Review: "The Mystery of the Cross" by Judith Couchman

Title: The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life
Author: Judith Couchman (http://www.judithcouchman.blogspot.com/)
Publisher: InterVarsity Press (http://www.ivpress.com/)
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8308-3539-3
Retail Price: $17.00 (many online sellers offer it at a discount)

As the author or compiler of more than 40 books and a teacher of art history, Judith Couchman knows her stuff. She was prompted to write her newest book, The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life (http://ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=3539) while studying early Christian art at mid-life. The more she studied, the more she realized how little she knew—not because she didn’t care, but because she didn’t know that the art, signs, legends, rituals, and festivals existed. Her church’s traditions hadn’t taught them, and the more she spoke with others about the superstitions, extra-biblical stories, and anecdotes she discovered, the more she realized how far the unawareness reached.

In the book’s Introduction, Ms. Couchman shares, “…The Mystery of the Cross invites you to read intriguing stories about the cross, ponder their meaning, and consider how these anecdotes speak to you. The forty short chapters can be read for art appreciation, historical information, personal meditation, spiritual formation, small-group discussion, Lenten observation or worship insights. Whatever the use, The Mystery of the Cross can help you understand and appreciate the cross’s spiritual work in the world and its power for everyday life. Most of all, I hope this book witnesses mystery.”

On her blog, http://www.judithcouchman.blogspot.com/, Ms. Couchman contemplates the biblical meaning of Forty Days: “Symbolically, forty days mark transition. From destruction to restoration; from ignorance to instruction; from weakness to power; from waywardness to renewal; from indifference to commitment; from death to life.” Reading The Mystery of the Cross one chapter a day can set the reader on a path of enlightenment, especially since one of the main purposes of the book is to unravel the mysteries of the cross, the Christian symbol of salvation.

The book is divided into seven Parts: Ancient Echoes of Christ: The Cross in Pre-Christian Times (Chapters 1-4); The Pain and the Glory: The Cross and the Suffering Savior (Chapters 5-9); Early Signs of Faith: The Cross and the First Believers (Chapters 10-16); The Great Conversion: The Cross an Early Religious Freedom (Chapters 17-21); Daily Signs of Salvation: The Cross in Ancient Everyday Life (Chapters 22-26); Ways to Worship: The Cross in Early Church Life (Chapters 27-33); and Enduring Mysteries: The Cross and Its Eternal Power (Chapters 34-40). At the beginning of each Part is a quote from a book used in researching the section; at the beginning of each Chapter are a scripture to enforce the chapter’s topic, and an illustration by Anne Elhajoui of different crosses and artifacts Ms. Couchman came across during her research.

The book’s history spans five thousand years, from the Standing Stones of Callanish in the Scottish Islands, to today. It includes such cross versions as the Healing Cross, the Latin Cross, the Shepherd’s Cross, the Proclamation Cross, Saint Peter’s Cross, the Chi-Rho Cross—to name a few—and gives the history of how they came about, the symbolism in each, and how they have affected Christian beliefs. It’s interesting to realize that 3,000 years before Jesus walked this earth, the pre-Christian cross foretold His arrival. Ms. Couchman states, “What a wonder. Before time began, God planned to rescue us.” I got goose bumps reading that statement, as I never thought of it like that before. Like Ms. Couchman, it’s not because I didn’t care, I simply didn’t think about it, nor was I taught it in my church or Bible studies. This book can change all that.

At the end of each chapter, Ms. Couchman ties in that specific cross’s history to her personal life—as a child and an adult—and how her own views and opinions have changed as a result of her newfound knowledge. In later chapters, she includes the history of folk art, inscriptions, reliefs found on sarcophagi and in catacombs, graffiti, mythical figures, signs of the cross, the shape of a church, oil lamps, superstitions, legends, balance scale and weights, coins, and even bread, with how all these symbols (or lack of) and their meanings have molded and shaped the cross’s history and what all of it means to believers. She challenges the reader with meditative questions about their own views and beliefs, making the book useful as a devotional or study book.

The amount of time and effort that went into this book boggles the mind. It is well-researched, well-documented, well-organized, and very informative. I was familiar with some of the topics discussed, but not their history and meaning. The way Ms. Couchman relates the artifacts or events to the history of the cross is a new approach, and I have a much broader knowledge of the cross and what it symbolizes. I also have a deeper appreciation for God’s love for me.

The sections I found most interesting:
• the story of Moses’ rod (page 46);
• Justin Martyr’s views of the cross in everyday life and in the human form (page 71);
• the parallels between Jonah and Jesus (page 80);
• the Absent Cross (page 92) versus the Gero Cross (page 94);
• the miscounting of the Holy Nails (page 104);
• Ms. Couchman’s metaphorical comparison of her personal spiritual journey to the cross in the desert (page 109);
• how oil lamps symbolize lighting our spiritual paths (page 124);
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s insight regarding following Christ (page 150);
• the clashes between “iconodules” and “iconoclasts” (page 172);
• the history/metaphor of seeking sanctuary (pp. 184-185, 187); and
• Jesus’ idea of living in an “inverted kingdom” (page 198).

My suggestions for improvement:
• Ms. Couchman’s research spans 5000 years. For visual persons, a condensed timeline would be helpful as a reference.
• Although the illustrations throughout the book are well done, larger pictures would allow readers to see more details, especially when the author refers to different symbols within the images.
• In Chapter 8, Ms. Couchman discusses Rupintojelis, a woodcarving of “The Man of Sorrows.” There is an illustration of what Jesus looks like as The Man of Sorrows, but actual photos (similar to the oil lamps on page 123) of the examples she came across in Lithuania would assist the reader in imagining these pieces of art.
• On page 98, an excerpt from Eusebius, Constantine the Great’s historian, confessor, and scribe, says the following about the Chi-Rho symbol, “…within this, the Savior’s name, two letters indicating the name of Christ by means of its initial characters, the letter P being intersected by X in the centre….” Nowhere is it mentioned what the “P” and “X” stand for; as an "uneducated Christian," I don't already know this information.
• On page 113, Ms. Couchman states, “Other excellent Celtic examples are the South Cross of Ahenny in Tipperary County and the high crosses at Moone County, Kildare. These sturdy crosses, and many others, prevail as memorials to missionary quests in Ireland.” I would’ve liked to see illustrations/photos of these crosses, as well as a description as to why she believes they are excellent examples (i.e. scenes from Scripture, lives of saints, etc.).
• In Chapter 23, Ms. Couchman discusses the Rotas-Sator Square, an acrostic discovered in two homes in Pompeii by archaeologists. She makes a reference to the "sower" and his "plough," (page 126) but doesn’t mention which of the words she’s referring to, doesn’t give a translation of all the words (not even in her Notes), nor what scholars believe the inscription means. I found the information on the Internet, but this should’ve been included in the book.
• For Chapter 25, when discussing the balance scale and its weights, in addition to the Petrie Weight illustration, an illustration of a scale would’ve assisted in hammering home Ms. Couchman’s point of how the scale relates to the cross as a trustworthy standard (page 135).
• In Chapter 33 "The Iconoclastic Cross," Ms. Couchman includes an illustration in the Khludov Psalter of iconoclasts whitewashing an icon of Jesus. I would’ve liked to see her delve into why the images couldn’t be viewed as “preserving history” as opposed to “idolatry.”
• Last but not least, and this is a personal preference, I prefer footnotes with superscripts over endnotes.

Overall, whether the reader is looking to deepen their understanding of the cross’s history and symbolism, use the book in their daily devotions, add it to their church’s library, or better appreciate what Jesus did for mankind, this book will inspire and educate.

The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life is now available in local bookstores, online booksellers, or on the InterVarsity Press Web site.