The Calvary Chapel Dove

This is the Calvary Chapel dove. It's their corporate logo. It's even seen on their sport shirts.

Personally, I am offended that the Holy Spirit has been reduced to a shirt corporate logo.

 

Why a Dove and not a Cross?

Like the Jehovah's Witnesses, Calvary Chapels typically do not put crosses on their buildings. This is not because Calvary Chapel does not believe in the cross but more (they say) out of their desire to avoid the external trappings of religion.

However, it is important to remember that the cross (itself, as well as it's symbol) is a stumbling block to the non-believer, and Calvary Chapel does not want to drive people away (which is pretty much the same reason that Jehovah's Witnesses give for not having crosses on their buildings). In the place of the cross, at least at CCCM, they have a Holy Spirit dove symbol at the front of the church. The goal seems to be to not put people off. There may be an occasional CC that has a cross, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

 

The meaning of the symbol is often lost on visitors

One commentator mentioned that a friend visited Calvary Chapel and wondered why they have a map of Texas at the front of the church.

 

It was the Maranatha! Music Logo, too

All Maranatha! Music album cover artwork graphics were custom-designed and printed by staff artists (in the early days including Barry Malone and Kernie Erickson).

When asked about the origin of the Calvary Chapel logo, Chuck Smith reportedly wrote:

"The dove was designed by Kerney Erickson and it is a symbol of the Holy Spirit descending upon the church. Taken from the baptism of Jesus when the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended and lighted upon Him." http://www.seekgod.ca/stardoves.htm

 One of the commentors on the Phoenix Preacher commented:

 "I talked to Kernie Ericksen. He credits original design of the CC dove to Malone. Kernie just converted it to line art for production purposes."

 

Alleged Pagan Origins of the Dove

A CC defender told us that the reason Calvary Chapel does not have a cross at the front is that the cross is a pagan Babylonian symbol. The information that Calvary Chapelites typically use to support this kind of view comes Hislop's 1858 book, The Two Babylons, where Hislop attempted to show the pagan origins of various Christian symbols. Chuck Smith recommends this book in his commentary on the book of Revelation. See chapter 17, verse 5, where Smith says:

v.5 Suggested reading for history students: The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop. This book connects ancient Babylon with the corrupt church.

The dove is in Hislop's book as a pagan symbol. This is a picture from that book.

Other Calvary Chapel pastors recommend the book as well.

 

The Dove has Catholic origins

Does Calvary Chapel realize that the dove is a Catholic symbol?

 

The Rainbow Dove

The dove has been adopted by the homosexal community who has a rainbow dove.

http://calvarychapel.pbworks.com/the-cc-dove

America the Beautiful

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