The Non-Christian Cross: An Enquiry into the Origin and History of the Symbol Eventually Adopted as That of Our Religion
1896
The Non-Christian Cross: An Enquiry into the Origin and History of the Symbol Eventually Adopted as That of Our Religion
1896
What if the most recognizable symbol of Christianity existed thousands of years before Christ? John Denham Parsons mounts a rigorous scholarly assault on the assumption that the cross belongs uniquely to Christianity, tracing the symbol through ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, and pre-Christian cultures. Parson's argument is precise and unsettling: the cross, in various forms, represented life and divinity across civilizations for millennia before the crucifixion ever occurred. The book examines why early Christians adopted this particular symbol, how its meaning transformed through centuries of religious appropriation, and what this reveals about the construction of religious identity. Written in 1896 with Victorian scholarly rigor but radical conclusions, this remains a quietly controversial work that challenges believers and fascinates skeptics. For anyone curious about how symbols acquire sacred meaning, or how history gets claimed by the victors, this is essential reading.
Editions
Link to this book
Add a free, dofollow link to Lex on your blog, forum, syllabus, or reading list.
<a href="https://lex-books.com/book/the-non-christian-cross-an-enquiry-into-the-origin-and-history-of-the-symbol-eve-11345a40-8e5c-48c5-b56a-fa45058395f9"><img src="https://lex-books.com/badges/read-on-lex.svg" alt="Read The Non-Christian Cross: An Enquiry into the Origin and History of the Symbol Eventually Adopted as That of Our Religion by John Denham Parsons free on Lex" width="160" height="40"></a>[](https://lex-books.com/book/the-non-christian-cross-an-enquiry-into-the-origin-and-history-of-the-symbol-eve-11345a40-8e5c-48c5-b56a-fa45058395f9)[url=https://lex-books.com/book/the-non-christian-cross-an-enquiry-into-the-origin-and-history-of-the-symbol-eve-11345a40-8e5c-48c5-b56a-fa45058395f9][img]https://lex-books.com/badges/read-on-lex.svg[/img][/url]Read The Non-Christian Cross: An Enquiry into the Origin and History of the Symbol Eventually Adopted as That of Our Religion by John Denham Parsons free on Lex: https://lex-books.com/book/the-non-christian-cross-an-enquiry-into-the-origin-and-history-of-the-symbol-eve-11345a40-8e5c-48c5-b56a-fa45058395f9Cite this book
Reading this edition for a paper or guide? Copy a citation.
Parsons, John Denham. The Non-Christian Cross: An Enquiry into the Origin and History of the Symbol Eventually Adopted as That of Our Religion. Lex, lex-books.com/book/the-non-christian-cross-an-enquiry-into-the-origin-and-history-of-the-symbol-eve-11345a40-8e5c-48c5-b56a-fa45058395f9.Parsons, J. D. (1896). The Non-Christian Cross: An Enquiry into the Origin and History of the Symbol Eventually Adopted as That of Our Religion. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-non-christian-cross-an-enquiry-into-the-origin-and-history-of-the-symbol-eve-11345a40-8e5c-48c5-b56a-fa45058395f9Parsons, John Denham. The Non-Christian Cross: An Enquiry into the Origin and History of the Symbol Eventually Adopted as That of Our Religion. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-non-christian-cross-an-enquiry-into-the-origin-and-history-of-the-symbol-eve-11345a40-8e5c-48c5-b56a-fa45058395f9.