In Mormonism, the cross is not used as a common religious symbol. Leaders have taught that the emphasis should be placed on Jesus’ resurrection and on following his example rather than on the instrument of his death. For this reason, LDS meetinghouses and temples do not display crosses, and members generally do not wear them.
When Mormons speak of the cross, they usually focus on Jesus’ suffering in Gethsemane (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–18) and then his death at Calvary as parts of the atonement. The cross itself is not rejected, but it is not central in devotion, worship, or art.
In biblical Christianity, the cross is the center of faith because it is where Jesus offered the once-for-all sacrifice that paid for the sins of the world (1 Peter 2:24). Through his death on the cross, we receive forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace with God.
