The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life
"We can read most books and put them back on the shelves and go on. Judith Couchman'sThe Mystery of the Crosswill not be one of those books. We will return time and time again to this beautiful book which is more than a book. It is a guided journey with a narrator to help us see what we could not see alone. We need Judith's voice to help us see, once and for all, the mystery. Outstanding! Beautifully written! Inspiring! Through story and art, Judith weaves a tapestry in this book that will do more than merely inform us. We will be inspired by the mystery and transformed by the message!" (Stephen W. Smith, author of The Lazarus Life and compiler and editor of The Transformation of a Man's Heart)"Carefully researched,The Mystery of the Cross. . . [allows] us to see this basic, simple symbol of crossed wooden beams as both analogy and actuality. The cross stands for all that Jesus did and does for the faithful--a theme emphasized in this outstanding book." (Luci Shaw, author of The Crime of Living Cautiously and writer-in-residence, Regent College)"Prompted by the author's own discovery of the cross in Christian art, these short devotional essays will help others to encounter and better understand the complex and fascinating history of this powerful symbol--throughout history and in their own lives." (Robin M. Jensen, author of Understanding Early Christian Art and professor at Vanderbilt Divinity School)"Judith Couchman has compiled a challenging historical record of an earlier church integrating the cross, both symbolically and sacramentally, into worship, into daily living and into personal devotion. If the measure of a book is how much it impacts our thinking after the pages are closed,The Mystery of the Crosshas caused me to reconsider how I can better employ representations of this iconic image every day in every way." (Karen Mains, author of Open Heart, Open Home)"Judith Couchman uses various art images from the past two millennia to tell stories and teach truths about the cross, many of which were entirely new to me. But more, she not only informs but also inspires the reader. Her book is both fresh and refreshing, new and renewing." (Gerald L. Sittser, author of A Grace Disguised and Water from a Deep Well)"With our imaginations being blasted by advertising brands and erotic innuendo, we need this book's authentic images of faith. A treasure in itself, it documents how centuries of brothers and sisters in the faith have bound their thoughts to our self-giving Christ." (Jan Johnson, author of Spiritual Disciplines Companion)"You hold a jewel in your hands. In this book, Judith explores through the ages and the arts the beauty and mystery of the cross. This will not be a one-time read but a book that I believe will enrich your devotional life for years to come." (Sheila Walsh, author of Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God)"Nourishment for the mind as well as the soul . . . . Mystery indeed; this book reveals truths on multiple levels." (Marshall Shelley, vice president, Christianity Today International)"Judith Couchman has given us a remarkably rich tour of the history of the cross. She traces the journey of this centrally important Christian symbol from its earliest pre-Christian origins to the present in a series of short, engaging chapters. Through this the reader is drawn into the transformational power and glory of Christ's death and resurrection. The result is a book I highly recommend." (Juliet Benner, Conversations Art Director)