Customer Reviews

History of the Cross

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Is it truly possible that Christianity may have been influenced and corrupted ny paganism? Yeah, it's not only possible - it's incredibly well-documented! Ward's book presents compelling evidence to that effect in regard to the cross. His writing style (typical of 19th century)was sometimes a bit too flowery and labored - often redundant. But, for the most part, he tells it like it is.

If you love your traditional Christianity with all of its pagan embellishments, you may want to avoid this book. I won't vouch for the accuracy of every detai, but if you want to know the truth, you will get a heavy dose of it here. Definitely worth the read.

I'm not anti-Christian, by the way, I just object to paganism being assimilated into Christian religion. The cross is just one example of many.

Challenging accepted belief in its time, this previously banished book has not been in print since 1871 and has been apparently reproduced from a single remaining copy. Henry Ward is extremely passionate on the subject he writes about, and at the same time is passionate in his belief in Jesus Christ. He goes to great length to demonstrate the gradual use of the cross from a pagan symbol in the pre-Christian era to become a world-wide symbol of Christianity today. He shows that it was not until the 4th century that we see the first use of the cross, and nearly three centuries later before, "the public heart became so hardened as to allow an image of our Saviour suspended on the cross." It first inspired horror, then was tolerated, then reverenced, then loved, and eventually worshipped. Idols, or "any material image or fancied likeness, made by the hands of man, to represent the invisible Person or things of the Godhead," were strictly prohibited by Israel and the earliest Christians, and the cross was no exception, especially its worship. The research and references are impressive for his time. Besides scriptural references, he makes his case on many fronts-from writings of the very earliest Christians through Constantine, to replicas of symbols used through the ages, to the increasing use of the cross used on millions of tombs under Rome, but again, not until the latter years of the 4th century. He claims that if the Christians of the time of Christ did not use the symbol of the instrument of the Saviors suffering and death, then we should not either. He uses the logic that if the Lord were shot, should we then use the symbol of the gun to revere Him? This more befits His enemies than His friends. He is fair to the arguments in favor of the use of the cross and addresses these as well. The children of Israel just could not resist the urge to have their tangible golden calf by which to send their devotions. Are we so different in our worship today? This book is well worth the time and consideration of any believing Christian.

I found the logic compelling and historicity of the introduction of pagan, Babylonish tradition into Christ's church (The Way) undeniable. It also is borne out by other scholars such as Alexander Hislop in his book The Two Babylons. I would have scored the work higher, but the language, of course, was archaic insomuch as it was written in the 1800's, but it was deciferable. There were some unsubstantiated opinions in a couple areas, but overall a great tool of enlightenment.

Henry Dana Ward touches on this very issue and more as the other reviewers have brought out. The aspect I enjoyed most was how Ward, aside from providing thorough evidence that Jesus was most likely hung from a single post without a cross beam, explains that it doesnt matter what Jesus was killed with or hung on. Ward attempts to redirect Christian emotions back to the real issue, Why Jesus suffered and died; and the fact that Jesus DID die for us.

I highly recommend this book to any serious student of the bible, of Christianity, or of the history of religions. Ward is extremely thorough, perhaps repetitive, but is also well researched.

My only criticism is that Ward was apparently very passionate about his view on the cross and the book tends to come off more objective than some researchers and students would like, however, I doubt that was ever Ward's concern. Upon reading the book you will find that Ward had enough evidence to be rightfully passionate about the matter. He does take the issue a bit too far in the end, though, when he offers the view that the cross is the mark of the beast and he offers a weak support of that view. However, I excused that point for Ward was obviously disgusted with the cross and naturally was trying to damn it further than the facts had already done.

Been looking for a book like this for over 25 years and just recently stumbled across it. Want a truthful explanation of Revelation chapter 13? Here it is but beware, if you can't handle the truth then you can't handle this book. Put two and two together; right hand to the forehead. I've read several books and commentaries in my life but this small book by Henry Ward on this subject gets to the point and backs it up with references and dates. A small price to pay for so much information. Books like this are considered controversial by the world especially when so much truth is pointed out. Thank you Amazon. It's been along 25 years. Romans 16:16.

This book is short,concise and convincing. Its nice to see it reissued now. Those who are looking for arguments to research pagan intrusions into Christianity will be pleased.The problem of course is bigger than the use of pagan symbols. To what extent has Christendom become pagan in itself in its beliefs and ritualistic practices?A more thorough presentation is found in Alexander Hislop's The Two Babylons.

History of the Cross: The Pagan Origin and Idolatrous Adoption and Worship of the Image by Henry Dana Ward - 1871

Filled with prejudice, sexual frustration, ignorance and fear, Henry Dana Ward sets out to show how the crucifix was originally an ancient pagan / fertility cult symbol for the worship of the sun god Tammuz and trees. The stauros, (I or T) also known as the pale, spike, club, tree or wood on which Jesus is said to have been crucified, was only a twisted symbol taken on for the worship of the so-called death of Jesus from the "pagan heathens". This symbol, he argues, was not the Greek symbol for Christ, X.

In a closed-minded, hard-headed-Christian fashion reminiscent of the 19th century, Ward does achieve his goal, though this is achieved by over looking historical evidence, all the while failing to realize that the whole of Christianity itself is a pagan religion (See Maxwell, Busenbark, Hall, Acharya, Brown, Allegro, etc.).

"The "chi-rho" (X+P) itself resembles a human cruciform, as CE implies, and examples of it may be found in ancient mason's marks, such as at the palace of Phaestos on Crete, dating from the third millennium BCE." ~ Acharya S - Suns of God pg. 257

And thus Acharya destroys Ward's main theory in one swoop.

Ward focuses on the T (tau) cross and the X (Ki or Chi) and XP (Ki-Rho) to show his THEORY, as reported by the infamous and corrupt Eusebius (Christian Bishop/historian), that Constantine saw an X (ki) in the sky, and not a T (tau). Other than this flaw of resting the argument on Eusebius and Constantine (creator of Christianity in 325 CE), he makes some interesting points and the book does make for a decent history lesson on the history and development of the cross.

This is a good read for those who are studying in the Great Work. It's a short book. Any more than 88 pages would have been too much of a fill with his narrow-minded prejudices. The most valuable section of the book is at the rear, the addendums.

Thanks to Paul Tice at the Book Tree for bringing this almost lost work back to print.
I give it a 3 or 4 out of 5 rating- "worth the read".

I agree with the other reviewers that the history of the cross is interesting, but too much of this book is Ward's ranting against the church's "idolatry" of the cross. Each fact is followed by a discourse on how it proves his theory. 88 pages was too long.