I bought my first Icon this year…
I bought my first icon this year. It took me about thirty minutes to decide if buying this icon was a sin. It’s funny, but when you grow up with Orthodoxy in the background and the Protestant voice labeling icons as idol worship, you can’t help but pause and question what you’re about to do. The icon is simple. It’s the image of John the Baptist written on dark wood. It’s beautiful!
When I hold it in my hands I can’t help but think about the man in the picture… his life, his story, his purpose.
When I hold it in my hands, I can’t help but think of my Orthodox family who holds this image in their hands expecting a blessing because in turn a beloved priest blessed this image.
When I hold it in my hands, I can’t help but think of my Protestant family who doesn’t even want to have this icon in their home because they take offense at the idea that a priest has blessed it and others might worship it.
One simple image written on dark wood evokes admiration, worship and hatred. One simple image… soo many interpretations.
As I read through William Dyrness’ book, Visual Faith: Art, Theology and Worship Dialogue this week I was reminded once again of how much the church has given up in it’s quest to be set apart from culture. In our quest to live separate yet holistic lives, not tainted by culture we’ve drawn a line between the sacred and the secular. Unfortunately, art has fallen into the secular category therefore we’ve done all we could to keep it out of our religious services.
There are a couple of thoughts that stuck with me from the reading. First, I was reminded of the many Bible verses that describe the building of the tabernacle and later the first temple built by Solomon. These structures were nothing but a work of art. The details, the precision and the time it took to build these structures are a testimony of God’s love for beauty and art. Our fears of idol worship and ultimately our sinful tendencies have caused us to remove something that I believe God delights in.
Second, Dyrness says that, “in some mysterious sense, all art aspires to be worship.” (Loc. 1949) I’ve never thought about it this way before, but guess it’s true. Most art, good art should cause us to look outside of ourselves and have a glimpse into a world that’s not accessible otherwise. Christian art especially is a window into the spiritual realm and should point us to the ultimate creator. I’m not sure why we’re so afraid of it.
About the Author
Stefania Tarasut
10 responses to “I bought my first Icon this year…”
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I was hoping when I saw your icon posted on Facebook that you would be writing about this. I love it – it’s beautiful. Your post is well stated. You highlight the real conflict among people of various backgrounds. I think sometimes we just let ourselves get in the way. We over-think beauty. Instead of appreciating and standing in awe of what God might allow us to create and what might honor Him, we limit, constrict, and fear. I think it was in the introduction that Dyrness talked about the grace scale, and that Protestants were less likely to live in grace. We are more works driven than we think. Kind of sad, really. Our perception of ourselves is so far off. I sometimes feel rather blessed that I didn’t grow up in the church because I feel less restricted by traditions. But then, sometimes I don’t appreciate the value of them either. Nicely written, my friend.
Julie, the “grace scale” was really sad to me. We are the people that have received a ridiculous amount of grace… why is it so hard to give it in return?
Hi, Stef,
I enjoyed your post – interesting and helpful. You have a excellent style of writing that grips the readers attention – I think it is the way you make a personal connection to our readings in the context of your cultural experience.
I was really interested in your comments of “orthodoxy” and “the Protestant voice labeling icons as idol worship…” It significant for me because I don’t have what I would call constraints on my belief and practice. Probably the most significant haunting I have from my childhood and upbringing is the word/concept of “worldly.” I am not particularly drawn to symbols, icons, or artifacts … although, this is true in all areas of life. I wear a simple $10 watch, no jewelry (except a plain, well worn wedding band), no body art, and no piercing. The artwork in my Bible that I am most drawn to would be the maps and pictures that display such things as the floor-plan of the temple. After reading Dyrness, I see this posture as missing much of the artistic value that ought to be a part of worship in contemporary culture.
Perhaps this is the reason I accept cultural differences with little reservation. In fact, in many ways I seek to experience my faith within cultural contexts that are different from my own. There are many western values that I hold that are based more on my culture than on scripture. Dyrness has started a dialogue, at least within myself, to seek and sense the deeper experience available through artistic awareness. I do want to engage in the “extremely important moment of opportunity for Christian involvement in the arts.” (2324) I think my exposure to worship in African and Latin America countries has brought a greater awareness of the value of cultural things such as dress, dance, and icons designed to glorify God in worship.
Stefania, thank you for showing me this icon in person. I am curious to know if you have shown it to your parents? Or have you hidden it somewhere where they can’t see it? I am sure that seeing icons in the context (Orthodox churches in Romania) was both helpful and insightful. I think there is an important point that you just touch upon, and that is that good art does touch us in deeper ways, and all Christians use art! However, it is interesting that we allow the art form of music to inform much of our worship, using common instruments and even adapting the latest secular forms of music for our worship without question. Music is ok, but visual art is not. It seems that many of the same issues and fears leveled at visual arts can be made toward music. Both can (and should) be used to point us (as you state) to our creator, and can and should bring Him glory. It really comes back to each of us – what we will be open to and what we will not allow to touch us! It sounds like you are slowing opening to a bigger and more beautiful world where God’s glory can be found!
Stefania!! I remember being in Russia earlier this year, and standing between walls of enclosed-glass shelves, all filled with beautiful icons. And as I went to pick up a piece to take home with me, I received a “look” from our Russian host. This look told me, “no, no, do not pick that up.” I jerked my hand away, and later asked the interpreter what I had done wrong! She explained, just as you did, that icons are blessed by priests and promote Christians to worship the icon, instead of the Father. I shook my head with amazement, thinking that I just wanted to take a little piece of Russia home, something that would remind me of the beauty of the Orthodox Church. Instead, I almost destroyed a 25-year long partnership! 🙂 Like you said, Stefania, in the end, I am so thankful that there are so many avenues and ways to worship God. ….And I have to know…have you shown the icon to your parents yet?!
Stefania, congratulations on your first icon! I remember when I was given prayer beads, not too long ago. I didn’t really know what to do with them. So I placed them on my desk and left them there for a while. Then I began to bring them with me during my early morning prayers–still leaving them on the table. But then I began to hold them and as I touch each bead I began to lift up different people in prayer. It soon became a powerful worship experience for me. Like Ashley mentioned—I am also thankful for the many avenues and ways to worship and experience God.
Dear Stefania, your first icon is beautiful. I am was captivated by the different reaction the icon arouses. You are reminded of you family, which is another beautiful effect and also how both your orthodox and Protestant families take to the image.
Indeed what a clear picture of the interactive nature of art with our humanity.
I agree that the expression of art in it’s various forms can certainly allow us to share in the hope we have in God and in Christ’s love.
Thank you for sharing you first icon with us!
Congratulations on a beautiful representation of John the Baptist that is spurring you on to further sober reflection on the Christian life! This seems eminently good.
We tend to make “much ado about nothing” and if that’s too strong, certainly “mountains out of molehills.”
Simply because some people abuse a process/thing does not mean we should needlessly imbue that process/thing itself with the negativity that rather had most everything to do with the actor.
Some people treat the Bible as a magic book of incantations and yet we don’t throw out the Bible… 🙂
Anyhow, an author and a book of his in particular which remains meaningful to me — into which this discussion of iconography bears relevance — is Mircea Eliade (who happens to be Romanian 🙂 ) and his book “The Sacred and the Profane – The Nature of Religion: The Significance of Religious Myth, Symbolism, and Ritual Within Life and Culture.”
Perhaps it might be meaningful to you too?
Stefania,
I agree with Ron, you do have a way of drawing us into your words. I was struck as you mentioned that you were “reminded once again of how much the church has given up in it’s quest to be set apart from culture.” I wonder if part of our inability to be set apart from culture has come at the expense of understanding part of our theological heritage. Somehow wading past the suspicions and fear may be part of our task. That does not make it any less daunting, but perhaps makes me realize the need to be intentional and strategic within our respective communities. What can and what cannot happen within a given time? You walk with authenticity and that perhaps is something Dyrness is calling us to do.
“One simple image… so many interpretations.” Great statement filled with such meaning when it comes to a simple piece of art. But that is just it, isn it. This block of painted wood is not so simple when others add their own interpretation. So true of art aspiring us to worship, but what is it that we turn to worship is the important thing. I love when art, Christian or not, provides that window into the spiritual realm and points me to my creator. I posted about a bronze eagle that did just that. But is it more of me, than the art that seeks the creator and therefore am pointed in that direction fairly often? Is it us, as teachers and scholars that help in the pointing process regarding art? Hummm?