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Last
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The
Orthodox Church: A Visual Journey
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The Iconoclastic
controversy lasted from 726, when Emperor Leo III (717-741) began an attack
on the use of religious images, until 843 when The Empress Theodora allowed
their restoration. The two periods of Iconoclasm were separated by the reign
of the iconodule Empress Irene, under whom the Second Council of Nicea 787
was held. Although politics, and especially the politics of church and state
were involved, there were serious theological issues at stake. A number of
defenses of Icons were made: based on the existence of Divinely approved
images in nature and Scripture; based on the reality of the incarnation; and
based on a Platonic metaphysics of ascending images which participated in
the prototype. The first two defenses are here presented in the first
reading; the Platonic defense in second. Both were written by the Icons'
most distinguished proponent, Saint John of Damascus (c.675-c.749), John was
able to write freely since lived under Muslim rule outside the boundaries of
the Byzantine emperor. In this century plus discussion of art, we find one
of the most searching investigations into the nature of art in "western"
culture before the Italian Renaissance.
from On Holy Images (c. 730)
Now, as we are talking of images and worship, let us analyse the exact
meaning of each. An image is a likeness of the original with a certain
difference, for it is not an exact reproduction of the original. Thus, the
Son is the living, substantial, unchangeable Image of the invisible God,
bearing in Himself the whole Father, being in all things equal to Him,
differing only in being begotten by the Father, who is the Begetter; the Son
is begotten. The Father does not proceed from the Son, but the Son from the
Father. It is through the Son, though not after Him, that He is what He is,
the Father who generates. In God, too, there are representations and images
of His future acts,-that is to say, His counsel from all eternity, which is
ever unchangeable. That which is divine is immutable; there is no change in
Him, nor shadow of change. Blessed Denis, [note: the Pseudo-Dionysius] who
has made divine things in God's presence his study, says that these
representations and images arc marked out beforehand. In His counsels, God
has noted and settled all that He would do, the unchanging future events
before tbey came to pass. In the same way, a man who wished to build a house
would first make and think out a plan. Again, visible things are images of
invisible and intangible things, on which they throw a faint light. Holy
Scripture clothes in figure God and the angels, and the same holy man
(Blessed Denis) explains why. When sensible things sufficiently render what
is beyond sense, and give a form to what is intangible, a medium would be
reckoned imperfect according to our standard, if it did not fully represent
material vision, or if it required effort of mind. If, therefore, Holy
Scripture, providing for our need, ever putting before us what is
intangible, clothes it in flesh, does it not make an image of what is thus
invested with our nature, and brought to the level of our desires, yet
invisible? A certain conception through the senses thus takes place in the
brain, which was not there before, and is transmitted to the judicial
faculty, and added to the mental store. Gregory, who is so eloquent about
God, says that the mind, which is set upon getting beyond corporeal things,
, is incapable of doing it. For the invisible things of God since the
creation of the world are made visible through images. We see images in
creation which remind us faintly of God, as when, for instance, we speak of
the holy and adorable Trinity, imaged by the sun, or light, or burning rays,
or by a running fountain, or a full river, or by the mind, speech, or the
spirit within us, or by a rose tree, or a sprouting flower, or a sweet
fragrance.
Again, an image is expressive of something in the future, mystically
shadowing forth what is to happen. For instance, the ark represents the
image of Our Lady, Mother of God, so does the staff and the earthen jar. The
serpent brings before us Him who vanquished on the Cross the bite of the
original serpent; the sea, -water, and the cloud the grace of baptism.
Again, things which have taken place are expressed by images for the
remembrance either of a wonder, or an honour, or dishonour, or good or evil,
to help those who look upon it in after times that we may avoid evils and
imitate goodness. It is of two kinds, the written image in books, as when
God had the law inscribed on tablets, and when He enjoined that the lives of
holy men should be recorded and sensible memorials be preserved in
remembrance; as, for instance, the earthen jar and the staff in the ark. So
now we preserve in writing the images and the good deeds of the past.
Either, therefore, take away images altogether and be out of harmony with
God ,who made these regulations, or receive them with the language and in
the manner which befits them. In speaking of the manner let us go into the
question of worship.
Worship is the symbol of veneration and of honour. Let us understand that
there are different degrees of worship. First of all the worship of latreia,
which we show to God, who alone by nature is worthy of worship. When, for
the sake of God who is worshipful by nature, we honour His saints and
servants, as Josue and Daniel worshipped an angel, and David His holy
places, when be savs, "Let us go to the place where His feet have stood."
Again, in His tabernacles, as when all the people of Israel adored in the
tent, and standing round the temple in Jerusalem, fixing their gaze upon it
from all sides, and worshipping from that day to this, or in the rulers
established by Him, as Jacob rendered homage to Esau, his elder brother, and
to Pharaoh, the divinely established ruler. Joseph was worshipped bv his
brothers. I am aware that worship was based on honour, as in the case of
Abraham and the sons of Emmor. Either, then, do awav with worship, or
receive it altogether according to its proper measure.
Answer me this question. Is there only one God? You answer, "Yes, there is
only one Law-giver." Why, then, does He command contrary things? The
cherubim are not outside of creation; why, then, does He allow cherubim
carved by the hand of man to overshadow the mercy-scat? Is it not evident
that as it is impossible to make an image of God, who is uncircumscribed and
impassible, or of one like to God, creation should not be worshipped as God.
He allows the image of the cherubim who are circumscribed, and prostrate in
adoration before the divine throne, to be made, and thus prostrate to
overshadow the mercy-seat. It was fitting that the image of the heavenly
choirs should overshadow the divine mysteries. Would you say that the ark
and staff and mercy-scat were not made? Are they not produced by the hand of
man? Are they not due to what you call contemptible matter? What was the
tabernacle itself? Was it not an image? Was it not a type and a figure?
Hence the holy Apostle's words concerning the observances of the law, "Who
serve unto the example and shadow, of heavenly things." As it was answered
to Moses, when he was to finish the tabernacle: "See" (He says), "that thou
make all things according to the pattern which was shown thee on the Mount."
But the law ,-,,as not an image. It shrouded the image. In the words of the
same Apostle, the law, contains the shadow of the goods to come, not the
image of those things. For if the law should forbid images, and vet be
itself a forerunner of images, what should we say? If the tabernacle 'was a
figure, and the type of a type, why does the law not prohibit image-making?
But this is not in the least the case. There is a time for everything.
Of old, God the incorporeal and uncircumscribed was never depicted. Now,
however, when God is seen clothed in flesh, and conversing with men, I make
an image of the God whom I see. I do not worship matter, I worship the God
of matter, who became matter for my sake, and deigned to inhabit matter, who
worked out my salvation through matter. I will not cease from honouring that
matter which works my salvation. I venerate it, though not as God. How could
God be born out of lifeless things? And if God's body is God by union, it is
immutable. The nature of God remains the same as before, the flesh created
in time is quickened by, a logical and reasoning soul.
I honour all matter besides, and venerate it. Through it, filled, as it
were, me. Was not the with a divine power and grace, my salvation has come
to thrice happy and thrice blessed wood of the Cross matter? Was not the
sacred and holy mountain of Calvary matter? What of the life-giving rock,
the Holy Sepulchre, the source of our resurrection: was it not matter? Is
not the most holy book of the Gospels matter? Is not the blessed table
matter which gives us the Bread of Life' Are not the gold and silver matter,
out of which crosses and altar-plate and chalices are made? And before all
these things, is not the body and blood of our Lord matter? Either do away
with the veneration and worship due to all these things, or submit to the
tradition of the Church in the worship of images, honouring God and His
friends, and following in this the grace of the Holv Spirit.
from St. John Damascene On Holy Images, trans. by Mary H. Allies (London,
Thomas Baker, 1898), pp. 10-17.
from The Fount of Wisdom
But since some find fault with us for worshipping and honouring the image of
our Saviour and that of our Lady, and those, too, of the rest of the saints
and servants of Christ, let them remember that in the beginning God created
man after His own image. On what grounds, then, do we shew reference to each
other unless because we are made after God's image? For as Basil (the Great,
c. 330-379), that much-versed expounder of divine things, says, the honour
given to the image passes over to the prototype. Now a prototype is that
which is imaged, from that which the derivative is obtained. WhN, was it
that the Mosaic people honoured on all bands the tabernacle which bore an
image and type of heavenlv things, or rather of the whole creation? Go d
indeed said to Moses, "Look that thou make them after their pattern which
was shewed thee in the mount." The Cherubim, too, which overshadow the mercy
seat, are they not the work of men's bands? What, further, is the celebrated
temple at Jerusalem? Is it not handmade and fashioned by the skill of men?
Moreover the divine Scripture blames those -who worship graven images, but
also those who sacrifice to demons. The Greeks sacrificed and the Jews also
sacrificed: but the Greeks to demons and the Jews to God. And the sacrifice
of the Greeks was rejected and condemncd, but the sacrifice of the just was
very acceptable to God. For Noah sacrificed, and "God smelled a sweet savour",
receiving the fragrance of the right choice and goodwill towards Him. And so
the craven images of the Greeks, since then, were images of deities, were
rejected and forbidden.
But besides this who can make an imitation of the invisible, incorporeal,
uncircumscribed, formless God? Therefore to give form to the Deity is the
height of folly and impiety. And hence it is that in the Old Testament the
use of images was not uncommon. But after God in His bowels of pity became
in truth man for our salvation, not as He was seen by Abraham in the
semblance of a man, nor as He was seen by the prophets, but in being truly
man, and after He lived upon the earth and dwelt among men, worked miracles,
suffered, was crucified, rose again and was taken back to Heaven, since all
these things actually took place and were seen by men, they were written for
the remembrance and instruction of us who were not alive at that time in
order that though we saw not, we may still, hearing and believing, obtain
the blessing of the Lord. But seeing that not every one has a knowledge of
letters nor time for reading, the Fathers gave their sanction to depicting
these events on images as being acts of great heroism, in order that they
should form a concise memorial of them. Often, doubtless, when we have not
the Lord's passion in mind and see the image of Christ's crucifixion, His
saving passion is brought back to remembrance, and we fall down and worship
not the material but that which is imaged: just as we do not worship the
material of which the Gospels are made, nor the material of the Cross, but
that which these typify. For wherein does the cross, that typifies the Lord,
differ from a cross that does not do so? it is just the same also in the
case of the Mother of the Lord. For the honour which we give to her is
referred to Him Who was made of her incarnate. And similarly also the brave
acts of holy men stir us up to be brave and to emulate and imitate their
valor and to glorify God. For as we said, the honour that is given to the
best of fellow-servants is a proof of good-will towards our common Lady, and
the honour rendered to the image passes over to the prototype. But this is
an unwritten tradition, just as is also the worshipping towards the East and
the worship of the Cross, and very many other similar things.
A certain tale, too, is told, how that when Augarus [ie. Abgar V
(4BCE-50CE), King of Edessa and a reputed correspondent of Christ] was king
over the city of the Edessenes, he sent a portrait painter to paint a
likeness of the Lord, and when the painter could not paint because of the
brightness that shone from His countenance, the Lord Himself put a garment
over His own divine and life-giving face and impressed on it an image of
Himself and sent this to Augarus, to satisfy thus his desire.
Moreover that the Apostles handed down much that was unwritten, Paul, the
Apostle of the Gentiles, tells us in these words: "Therefore, brethren,
stand fast and bold the traditions which ye have been taught of us, whether
by word or by epistle." And to the Corinthians he writes, "Now I praise you,
brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the traditions as I
have delivered them to you."
trans S.D.F. Salmon in John of Damascus, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,
in Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, 2nd Series, (repr. Grand Rapids MI: Wm.
B. Eerdmans, 1955), Vol IX, p. 88
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Saint John
of Damascus, Defender of Icons |
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