Pentagrams in Christianity

[LordHelmet]

I know pentagrams were used in early xtianity and symbolyzed things like the 5 letters of Jesus's name in hebrew or the five wounds, (or suposedly the five great sins.) This much wikkipedia or google can confirm. However I have a friend who went to christian schools and studied christian history and never heard of it. He doesn't believe that pentagrams ever had any strong connection to christianity and said he wouldn't believe me till I could come up with a church that used pentagrams or recognized them as a christian symbol.

my question is does anyone know of a specific reference where pentagrams were used in early christianity (before 800AD). There's plenty of websites that say early christians used it as a symbol of christianity and later the cross got a lot more popular, but nothing to say when where or how, or for that matter how we know.

[Rasenna]

Here is an excerpt of Dictionary of Symbolism by Hans Biederman:
It is possible that in the Christian era the pentacle was a manifestation of a secret "undercurrent" of Gnosticism which sought to conceal itself from the ecclesiastical authorities, as was presumably the ideology of alchemy.
The pentacle also appears in Christian iconography, where it is associated with the five stigmata of Christ, or, because of its closed form, with the coming together of beginning and end, Alpha and Omega, in Christ (compare circle).


I believe the Vatcian houses a pentacle somewhere within, but I cannot right this moment confirm that. I *do* know that it contains a zodiac fresco, though...

[LordHelmet]

bump

[shuvanilu]

Some Mormon temples have pentagrams on them:)---shuvanilu

[shuvanilu]

Some pics I found:

Click the bottom right hand picture on the first link here...

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nosetplans.com/gallery/hannover/thumbnails/7-23-2004_013.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nosetplans.com/gallery.php%3Fgallery%3Dhannover&h=150&w=113&sz=8&hl=en&start=20&tbnid=EV2g8mQLMVXn8M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=67&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpentacles%2Bon%2Bchurches%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls %3DATSA,ATSA:2006-22,ATSA:en%26sa%3DN

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rennes-discovery.com/Images3/benoit_sgw01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rennes-discovery.com/benoit_sgw1.htm&h=465&w=700&sz=326&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=VFQjO1VP2_L60M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpentagrams%2Bon%2Bstained%2Bglass%2Bwindows%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DATSA ,ATSA:2006-22,ATSA:en

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://james.jlcarroll.net/symbolism/images/Cache%2520Stake%2520Tabernacle%25204.jpg&imgrefurl=http://james.jlcarroll.net/symbolism/pentagram.html&h=382&w=226&sz=33&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=Fq7_f-POp6qutM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=70&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpentagram%2Bon%2Bmormon%2Btemple%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DATSA,ATSA:2006-22,ATSA:en

[TheWanderer]

Here is some:
Early Christians attributed the pentagram to the Five Wounds of Christ and from then until medieval times, it was a lesser-used Christian symbol. Prior to the time of the Inquisition, there were no evil associations to the pentagram. Rather its form implied Truth, Religious Mysticism and the work of The Creator. The Emperor Constantine I who, after gaining the help of the Christian church in his military and religious takeover of the Roman Empire in 312 AD, used the pentagram, together with the chi-rho symbol (a symbolic form of cross) in his seal and amulet.
(from http://www.journey1.org/freedom/pentagram.htm)

In the legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the pentagram was Sir Gawain's glyph, inscribed in gold on his shield, symbolizing the five knightly virtues - generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety.

In Medieval times, the Endless Knot was a symbol of Truth and was a protection against demons. It was used as an amulet of personal protection and to guard windows and doors. The pentagram with one point upwards symbolized summer; with two points upwards, it was a sign for winter.
(from http://www.journey1.org/freedom/pentagram.htm)

Gawain’s shield is a crucial symbol in the poem, and the poet explicates its symbolism in detail. The red shield is decorated with a gold pentangle (also called a pentagram), the familiar five-pointed star drawn by connecting five lines. The pentangle was almost always associated with magic, as a protective talisman, and the Christian moral symbolism the poet ascribes to it seems to be his own invention. This combination of magic and religion is not necessarily unusual for the medieval period, but magic was normally condemned by Christian writers, so an unresolved tension surrounds this symbol. The poet runs through a veritable catalog of medieval symbolism for the number five; in fact, he gives Gawain a pentad of virtues, five for each one of the five points on the pentangle. Gawain is faultless in his five senses, indicating his moderation and purity. He is also faultless in his “five fingers.” The meaning of this is obscure, but it may refer to a medieval allegory of five virtues; compare also Chaucer’s Parson’s Tale, lines 853–863, where the devil has five “fingers” or sins (in that case, all associated with lust) to catch humanity.

Another suggestion, made by Richard Firth Green, is that the five fingers refer to a ritual accompanying the medieval trial by battle. If so, the reference emphasizes Gawain’s role as Arthur’s designated representative on this dangerous mission. Gawain contemplates the five wounds of Christ on the cross (often said to correspond to the five senses) and derives his courage from thinking on the five joys of the Virgin Mary. Medieval lists of the joys (joyful events) in the life of Mary varied in number—five, seven, and fifteen being most common), but these five are probably the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the Assumption. A picture of the Virgin holding the infant Christ appears on the inside of Gawain’s shield, reminding readers again of his chastity, his Christian devotion, and his status as Mary’s knight.

Finally, the poet names Gawain’s five virtues: “fraunchyse” (generosity), “felawschyp” (fellowship, fellow-feeling), “clannes” (purity, chastity), “cortaysye” (courtesy), and “pité.” Scholars disagree about the meaning of this last word. A few translators render it “piety,” which was often mentioned as a primary knightly virtue. However, most translators choose “pity” or “compassion,” a reading further supported by reference to I Corinthians 13:13, which states that the greatest virtue is love or charity; the poet likewise says that “pité” is the virtue that surpasses all other points. The poet’s word “poyntez” is a clever pun, because it can mean “virtues,” but can also refer to the “points” of the pentangle. Most importantly, the pentangle is “in bytoknyng of trawthe,” a symbol of truth that is perfect, intertwined, and indivisible, like the endless knot the poet calls it. The knot cannot be perfect if any one part of it fails, because all are linked. It is a difficult standard for any human being to live up to, even a hero as perfect as Gawain.
(from http://education.yahoo.com/homework_help/cliffsnotes/sir_gawain_and_the_green_knight/17.html)


I know it's a lot, but I hope that helps.