The Greatest Act of Love

 

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Although His death is a central part of His atonement, there is a surprising reservation among LDS members to embrace the doctrine of Christ’s crucifixion and cross imagery. Recently Dr. John Hilton III explored this topic in his book “Considering the Cross.” In his research he found that a lack of crucifixion and cross imagery in LDS art can unintentionally misrepresent the doctrine of the Savior’s Atonement. 

 

As three LDS artists, we have recognized this in our own biases and felt compelled to initiate a dialogue that centers the crucifixion. By contemplating the essentiality of the crucifixion in our doctrine of the atonement, we have come to see light, beauty, and peace in His offering. Where once we saw violence in His death, now we see a perfect example of non-violence towards His aggressors. Through the shedding of his own blood, Christ informs each child of God of their inherent worth. He is the sacrificial lamb, whose gift on the altar was foreshadowed by prophets for centuries. 

 

With this show we join all fellow believers in Christ in expressing our love and appreciation for Christ’s ultimate gift. We strive to dismantle old stigmas and create new conversations about the place of the cross in our homes, around our necks, and in our churches. We hope by doing so, we come closer to becoming one in the body of Christ.