Stations of the Cross and the Emerging Church

By Justin Edwards

As we near Resurrection Sunday in remembrance of the price paid by the Savior to atone for our sins and His glorious resurrection from the grave, it is important to recognize the trappings of ancient rituals of which many are entering evangelical churches through Emergence Christianity. One of such religious traditions are Catholocism's Stations of the Cross, which seek to engage the senses in order to draw closer to God.

This religious experience is subjective and holds no biblical support for its practice. Born-again Christians do not need such mystical props of candles, incense, static, and tangible "things" to "experience God. We are to "encounter" God through worship, His Word, and prayer - all of which are found in Scripture - not man-made traditions.

The material found at this  Lighthouse Trails Research link gives a brief description of this practice and some examples to follow. The most dangerous aspect of this ritual is that a non-believer can go through these stations and come away with an "experience from God", and falling into deception that this subjective experience was a genuine encounter God and one that gives them a false hope. There is no salvation in these mystical methods of "worship". Salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone - and absolutely everything we need to come to saving faith comes from the Word of God ALONE.