XC NIKA: A Framework for an Active Faith
The ruins of a Byzantine church called “The Church of the Glorious Martyr” were recently uncovered in the ancient village of Beit Shemesh. As I was reading through the details of the archaeological dig, one mosaic caught my eye. Within a beautiful wreath, an eagle soars with wings mid-flap. Around its neck is a diadem representing the Byzantine Empire.
If you look carefully at the tips of the eagle’s wings, you can see a small inscription - almost like it’s a whisper when compared to the larger-than-life bird depicting the Empire. The design below is a cleaner copy of the Byzantine Greek inscription, which reads “Christ Conquers.”
The letters we see as an English “XC” is an example of a “nomina sacra,” literally “sacred name.” A nomina sacra was used in ancient writing to abbreviate names of significance by using the first and last letters of the name. The X is the Greek letter Chi, which makes a “k” sound, and the “C” is actually a Byzantine Greek Sigma, “s.” They are the first and last letters of Χριστος (kri-stos), the Greek word for “Christ.”
NIKA may sound familiar as it is the inspiration for the name of a famous athletic brand, Nike. Legend recalls that after the Athenians defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, a messenger ran over 25 miles to Athens to proclaim the good news. Upon arriving, the messenger exclaimed, “NIKA!” then collapsed and died. Marathon races come out of this tradition.
The tootsie roll-looking outline is called a “tabula ansata,” literally “tablet with handles.” They were used as votives to proclaim important things. You see these all over the place in inscriptions and stone reliefs from the ancient world – a modern example is in the hands of the Statue of Liberty.
So, what does it mean for Christ to conquer?
Within its first 100 years, the Christian church started to fuse with elements of Empire. In doing so, conquering was understood in geo-political terms and power dynamics. To conquer was to overpower an evil or heretical enemy that needed to submit (or preferably killed), whether that be entire nations or individuals. The mosaic inscription from Beit Shemesh visually reflects how the message of Empire left little room for the message of Christ.
But Scripture describes a different idea of conquering. Instead of “power over,” it is “power with and for.” When Christ conquers, we read that wounds are healed,1 the lost are found,2 and captives are made free.3
But free from what?
The obvious Sunday School answer is “sin.”
However, sin is so nebulous that it provides little help in identifying specific problems to solve. With such a generically-defined problem, solutions become wide-ranging and numerous. So Christians are spoon-fed a kind of “flavor of the week” moral/self-help lesson, either guided by the liturgical calendar or a sermon series, that quickly fades from memory4 because it isn’t tethered to a coherent framework that transforms and informs one’s entire life.
As a result, we too whisper, “Christ conquers,” while we loudly live out a life of Empire, marginally differentiated from everyone else in our culture.
We’re lost. We need direction (discipleship).
Frame-work: The Frame to do the Work
Dorothee Söelle, a German who grew up under the Nazi regime and who struggled with the shame of how German Christians could willingly collaborate with mass murderers, wrote that a Christian needs to wake up and be liberated from the three powers that typically hold humans in bondage: possessions, ego, and violence.5
After Jesus’ baptism, his ability to transcend these three temptations was tested in the wilderness:
In Luke 4:1-4, the temptation was to turn raw stones into bread (earthly comforts/possessions)
In Luke 4:5-8, the temptation was to rule all the kingdoms of the world (ego)
In Luke 4:9-13, the temptation was to call in the army (violence).
Only when Jesus breaks these chains (at a mid-life age for his time) does his ministry begin. That seems like an excellent place to start for us.
Together, these powers frame the work for Christian disciples. Within each of these frames, an individual can identify an ethic or cause that resonates within them that will guide their everyday decisions. As they continue to grow and master the work within each frame, they can identify another ethic or cause to further focus on. This is the good work that helps transform us into Christ.
In the following three articles, we will explore each frame, and I’ll share what ethics or causes have resonated with me and what changes I have started to make in my life. Perhaps that will clarify how you can put your faith into action in your unique way.
XC NIKA: Possessions
XC NIKA: Ego
XC NIKA: Violence
I’ve found this approach so transforming that I tattooed the design on my arm.6 If this framework resonates with you, you may be interested in spreading the idea less painfully with a tee, hoodie, or vinyl decal.
To list a few: Matthew 8:28-34; Matthew 9:27-31; Mark 1:32-34; John 4:46-54; John 9:1-12; 1 Peter 2:24;
To list a few: Luke 19:10; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20
To list a few: Luke 4:18; Romans 6:7; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1; 1 Peter 2:16-17
Can you remember the sermon from five weeks ago? The analogy of, “I don’t remember what I had for lunch five weeks ago, but I know it nourished me for that time - so too is the sermon for the soul.” has some truth to it, but
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/mysticism-and-nonviolence-2020-07-16/
