Theology of Icons

Paper Summary:

This essay discusses the iconoclastic Controversy in the Eastern Orthodox Church and its defense by John of Damascus. It follows John's separations of the topic and explores what each argument entailed and the resistance which it faced. It outlines both the strong and weak points of the argument and how each issue was solved.

From the Paper:

"It seems that art is such a natural part of everyday life. It would be difficult to picture a world where art was not involved. From the flower pots outside on the window sill to the mounted picture in the living room, art pervades every aspect of our lives. It is difficult to imagine that there was a controversy over whether such type pf media should be allowed in a Church setting. The word icon usually describes those religious pictures-mainly portable wood panel paintings-which have a prominent place in the life and worship of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (Baggley, 1). The Iconoclasm controversy dealt with the debate over whether painted images of the Divine Christ were valid or idolatrous. Popular culture felt that the icon was a necessary part of their worship because it gave them a sense of understanding. It gave the worshiper a visual image of what he/she was praying to and so, made the person feel that his/her prayers were not futile and wasted. However, it was these exact beliefs that sparked the controversy, but also led to the writings in defense of the images. John of Damascus was one of the greatest Christian defenders of the iconodule position (Sch nobon, 192)."

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