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Why does the Orthodox Church not believe in the veneration of images?
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∙ 16y ago
Jesus was asked by Pontius Pilate: "What is Truth?". To our minds would undoubtedly answer "It is a system of propositional truths like the Westminster Confession of Faith." In other words, we infer from his article that the Protestant mind subconsciously reads Jesus' words thus: "I am the Way, the Propositional Truth, and the Life...." This may sound unfair, but such an implication is inescapable within his apparent schema-one in which Jesus Christ is effectively reduced to a mere "propositional truth of the Father." We turn now to address his "confusion over divine revelation," namely, the erroneous reduction of the "Word of God" to "propositional truth" and the exclusion of the correlatives, word as image, image as word.
The nature of the icon cannot be grasped by means of pure art criticism, nor by the adoption of a sentimental point of view. Its forms are based on the wisdom contained in the theological and liturgical writings of the Eastern Orthodox Church and are intimately bound up with the experience of contemplative life.
The introduction into the meaning and the language of the icons imparts to us in an admirable way the spiritual conceptions of the Eastern Orthodox Church which are often so foreign to us, but without the knowledge of which we cannot possibly understand the world of the icon.
"It is not the purpose of the icon to touch its contemplator. Neither is it its purpose to recall one or the other human experience of natural life; it is meant to lead every human sentiment as well as reason and all other qualities of human nature on the way to illumination."
"The entire visible world as depicted in the icon is to foreshadow the coming Unity of the whole creation, of the Kingdom of the Holy Ghost."
The theological justification of the icon was derived by the Seventh Ecumenical Council from the fact of the Incarnation of God. God became human for the elation and deification of Man. This deification becomes visible in the saints. The Byzantine theologian often sets the calling of an icon painter on an equal level with that of a priest. Devoted to the service of a more sublime reality, he exercises his objective duty the same way as the liturgical priest. The "spiritual genuineness" of the icon, the cryptic, almost sacral power to convince, is not alone due to accurate observation of the iconographic canon, but also the ascetic fervor of the painter
Just as the Grace of the Holy Spirit which descended on the Apostles at Pentecost flows in a living stream down through today's bishops and priests, so Sacred Tradition carries the spiritual life of the Church in an unbroken stream from the time of the Apostles down to Orthodox believers today. Sacred Tradition includes the unwritten acts and teachings of Christ and the Apostles which the Church preserves unchanged for us all. (John 21:25; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2Thess. 3:6) The power of Sacred Tradition is the power of the Holy Spirit as it influences Orthodox Christians in all ages. Through Sacred Tradition we are in communion with the spiritual life of all preceding generations back to the Apostles.
Because the Son of God took on human flesh and became incarnate as the God-man Jesus Christ, it became possible to portray the glory of God incarnate. "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!" (Luke10:23). The icons' style may seem austere and strange at first; they do not depict the natural beauty of the material world, but the spiritual beauty of the Kingdom of Heaven. Icons are venerated, BUT NOT WORSHIPPED, by Orthodox Christians. Free from the subjective, sentimental, and fleshy quality of Western religious art, the true icon is part of the Church's Sacred Tradition. A true icon, painted through the power of the Holy Spirit, is in communion with the spiritual life of the Church back to its earliest days.
Because of the unity of Sacred Tradition, icons -- like Orthodoxy itself -- exist as unchanging and ageless windows into the spiritual world. As you gaze into an icon, the calm eye of eternal truth falls upon you. And you begin to realize the true beauty and order of all things visible and invisible.
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∙ 16y ago
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What are images honored by some christians called?
I believe that you are referring to icons, as used in the Orthodox church.
How would you refute the false teachings of Roman Catholic Church about the use of images?
Roman Catholic answerIt sounds like you are referring to Iconoclasm which is the heresy that the veneration of holy images is unlawful. About 726 A.D. the Emperor Leo the Isaurian published an edict which led to the destruction of images and persecution of their defenders. In 787 A.D. the seventh ecumenical council (II Nicaea) defined that "both the figure of the sacred and life-giving cross, as also the venerable and holy images ... are to be placed suitably in the holy churches of God ..." but that the honour paid to them is only relative for the sake of their prototypes: they are to receive veneration, not adoration; that is the faith of the Catholic Church and of the now separated Orthodox. But in 814 Iconoclasm broke out again at the instigation of the Emperor Leo the Armenian and his successors, and the persecution of orthodox Catholics and destruction of monasteries and images lasted till the Empress Theodora became regent in 842. St. John the Damascene and St. Theodore the Studite were the principle defenders of the orthodox teaching and practice. The custom in the East of using icons and mosaics but not round statues or other carved images seems to be a back-wash of Iconoclasm. from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, 2nd edition, revised.
Leo III ban on religious images became known as?
split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
What were iconoclasts?
Iconoclasts still exist. Used as a noun, an iconoclast is a person who attacks laws, principles, beliefs or traditions as being based on error or superstition. The word may also be defined as a breaker or destroyer of images, especially those used for religious veneration. There was a group of people within the Greek Orthodox Church (between 725 and 842 CE) that workedto intentionally destroy religious icons and images. Synonyms include: radical, dissenter, rebel, and nonconformist.
What were religious pictures in Greek church called?
The images were known by the earliest church fathers or ante nicene fathers i.e Polycarp, Melito of Sardis and Ignatius of Antioch as idols and they were and still are a damnable heresy. The apostle Paul also made it clear that we 'walk by faith not by sight', and in John 4:23&24 it says that when we worship, we worship in 'Spirit and Truth'. The veneration of images or any man made object was a pagan practice, alot of the earliest converts to Christianity wished to continue with this practice of image veneration, resulting in division among christians from the beginning.. The same occurred with the veneration/prayer to saints.. The early christians prior to conversion were involved in polytheism this is the worship of many gods. It was the heretical apostate emperor Constantine (at least until just before he died) who suggested that rather these christians continue venerating/worshipping their many gods of who knows what, they should replace them with the veneration of saints. This is supposedly 'dead christians who were holy'.. Despite the above truth, only God knows who a true christian is - none of us are at liberty to decide beyond the shadow of a doubt on the true condition of a mans heart. So in answer to your question, these images were first known as idols, but over years of debate, they became officially known as icons.. This is what is now known as the 'great victory for orthodoxy'.. Now I must be clear here, but the Eastern Orthodox Church is only called the orthodox church by name.. it is largely inconsistent with the teachings of scripture and the earliest church fathers hence it is not the true orthodox church in the slightest.. The true Church of God is the body of Christ.. It is not a denomination, it is simply the body of Christ.. It consists of those who have been saved by the Grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. These members of the body of Christ acknowledge their corrupt and sinful nature and recognise the wonderful atoning work done by Jesus Christ through the shedding of his blood and death on the cross, and then His triumphant resurrection. As death could not hold Him down.
What are disagreements over saints icons and relics between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches?
The dispute revolved around whats become known as iconclasm. It's been resolved, at least on the Western Church's side, for centuries. Initially, it wasn't so much about each others particular art, as it was in which of the 'pagan' art should be left un-smashed and unburned. The difference in attitude was regarding interpretation of the 3rd commandment, having no other gods, nor making graven images. The Eastern Church preferred, then, to make their own religious images in 2 dimensions, where the Western Church allowed statues. It was within an era of heated theological arguments and regrettable Christian disunity. The presence of icons are well accepted, now, in Roman Catholic Churches, though their veneration is not part of that Church's tradition. Eastern Catholic Churches do retain those traditions of their Orthodox brethren. See Answers.com: Iconclasm Byzatine Answers.com: Eastern Catholic Churches
What has the author Ambrosios Giakalis written?
Ambrosios Giakalis has written: 'Images of the divine' -- subject(s): Council of Nicaea (2nd : 787), Cult, Doctrines, History of doctrines, Iconoclasm, Icons, Image (Theology), Orthodox Eastern Church
What were iconoclasts opposed to?
Icons. In the Orthodox religion, images of Jesus and the saints are worshipped as if they were Jesus or the saints themselves. At one period in the Byzantine Empire, a group of Emperors opposed this form of worship and moved to have the icons (religious images) destroyed: they were called iconoclasts. However the iconophiles won out, and the icons are still there (well, not in Byzantium but in the Orthodox Churches of Greece and Russia)
What are two elements of Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church?
Orthodox Church:- This denomination began as the eastern half of Christendom which was the site of the former Byzantine Empire (Greece, Turkey, and nearby countries).-They have different views on topics like the use of images, the nature of God, and the cultural differences between the Eastern and Western churches.Roman Catholic Church:-Non-existant during the first thousand years of Christianity because there was no Eastern Orthodoxy or Protestantism to differentiate it from any other denomination.-It's history is traced all the way back to the Apostles to where St. Peter is considered the first pope, and every pope that came after him was considered his spiritual successor.
What images did Jesus compare his church with?
His bride and many other things
What are the windows with images in a church called?
the windows inside a church with images on them are called stained glass windows. They are called this because the images are made using glass which has been stained. Then the glass is arranged to form the picture. Sometimes underneath the window describing the scene shown in the window.
The incarnation teaches that god became man through jesus christ What did catholics defend by citing the incarnation?
With the incarnation, the Almighty now has a human face, and will continue to have it throughout eternity. Thus we can create and venerate religious images but such veneration is always relative, always being referred back to the original, never absolute as though the material object is being venerated in and for itself. This veneration is honor paid to representations of Christ and the saints. Their purpose is to adorn, instruct, and excite to piety those who behold, wear, or carry images on their persons. (from the Modern Catholic Dictionary by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
