As my children were growing up and traveling without their parents, I told them to look for the cross and flame if they needed help. This advice came in handy on a couple of occasions. Even when we are not in trouble, it might be fruitful for us to look intentionally at our denominational logo and ponder its meaning.
The Cross and Flame, as a symbol, speaks to the kind of witness we are all called to share.
Perhaps we can start with the vertical dimension of the cross and note how this can point us to the divinity of Christ. By this dimension of the cross, we see the saving work of Christ, connecting us to heaven and to God. The vertical dimension of the cross calls each of us into a personal relationship with the One who brings heaven to earth and has the power to lift us into heaven.
Next, we can reflect upon the horizontal dimension of the cross. This part of the cross can be used to illustrate the teachings of Jesus and our calling to work for justice, peace, and mercy in the world. This dimension represents our love for one another.
When I teach on the “Both/And” spirit of Methodism, I always start here. This spirit is rooted in our core doctrines that affirm both the divinity and humanity of Christ. We hold these realities together, in tension and harmony. We also acknowledge the temptation to lean too far one way or the other, either focusing on the divine Christ who forgives and saves us for heaven, or on the human Christ who calls us to feed the hungry and have compassion for those on the edges. As United Methodists, we hold these to poles together and are blessed by the spiritual energy that is created.
In this theological reflection, I like to call attention to the “crosspoint.” I believe this metaphor could serve us so much better than the metaphor of being at a “crossroads,” where we have to choose one direction or the other. This metaphor could also be used to complement the concept of the via media or middle way. At this “crosspoint,” we claim a both/and perspective – grace and holiness, knowledge and piety, evangelism and social justice, traditional and progressive perspectives. We know that God’s ways are always bigger than one perspective. Seeking to honor the whole, we acknowledge that the word “party” is built on the word “part.” To work to make the “part” the “whole” is among the many harmful things we can do as the Body of Christ.
Next, we can add the flame. The flame represents the Holy Spirit. In our denominational symbol, the flame is next to the cross. Following Wesley’s extensive work to illuminate the work and witness of the Holy Spirit, a couple of things stand out. First, while we trust that God can work through "extraordinary displays” like speaking in tongues, meant only for some, Wesley calls us to focus more on the “ordinary” work of the Spirit in our daily lives and meant for all. We focus on cultivating the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and temperance. The witness of the Spirit manifests itself as we become “more meek, gentle, and teachable, swift to hear and slow to speak, ready to learn from anyone.”
Represented by the flame, Methodism has an optimism that is life-giving. We believe that we can truly be transformed to reflect God’s presence and hope for the world. The image of God can be restored in us through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit and our attentiveness to this work through the means of grace, the methods of Methodism. In this relationship, we become a light to the world.
Drawing from Wesley’s sermons, which are a part of our doctrine, the Holy Spirit helps us to avoid two big dangers - mere formality, on the one hand, where we go through the motions without the power of faith, and on the other hand, the “wildness of enthusiasm,” where we mistake our own opinions with the witness of the Holy Spirit, when we start thinking that it is our job to get everyone to see things our way. Wesley warns against this “dreadful delusion” where we become “presumptuous self-deceivers,” "haughty and assuming,” “slow to hear and swift to speak,” and “impatient with contradictions.” The Holy Spirit guides us along a “middle course,” where the fruits of the Spirit are cultivated, where we practice faith with less judgment and more compassion. That is our calling.
In this new season of our church's life, some want to explore a new logo and symbol. It is an important debate that can lead us to see more than one perspective. For me, part of this discernment is taking time to focus on the intended meaning of the symbol and to ask: Can this highly recognizable symbol help open the way to faithfulness and fruitfulness? Can it help us invite others into an inspired vision of who we can be in relationship with God and with one another? For me, the Cross and Flame has this kind of iconic energy.
In a debate during the season of disaffiliation, I remember hearing one pastor, and a leader in our denomination at the time, use these two dimensions of the cross to support division. As he argued, these different perspectives create so much tension among us that we would all be better off going our separate ways, allowing individual congregations to focus on one dimension or the other and to be united by a uniformity of opinion. I remember being shocked by this perspective.
The concept of a both/and spirit and “parties” is explored in my book, “Radically Blessed: the Core Teachings of Jesus Through the Teachings of John Wesley”, particularly in the chapter “Practicing Politics AS the Church,” published by Market Square Books, 2025. I wish that I had thought more about the Cross and Flame while exploring these concepts in that book.
There is a whole series on the Holy Spirit, as symbolized by the Flame, in the Book “Awakening Through Wilderness: Lent, Easter, and Pentecost Inspired by the Teachings of John Wesley,” 2026.
Next Up: Wesley and Word Communion
Michael Roberts
Michael Roberts has served as a pastor, a director of conference ministries, a delegate to General Conference, a retreat leader, and a teacher of United Methodist history and doctrine. He is married with three grown children and two grandchildren. He likes to take time each day to write and play guitar as a part of his devotional life. He is the author of four books based on John Wesley sermons which can be found at marketsquarebooks.com.