The Incarnation as an Argument in Favour of the Cult of the Sacred Images in Saint John of Damascus’ Three Treatises on the Divine Images
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/SPLP.2018.006Keywords
cult of images, St John of Damascus, IncarnationAbstract
John of Damascus was one of the first Christian thinkers who shaped the theology of images. His thought was born in the difficult historical circumstances of iconoclasm. Therefore, he was not always able to stand up to the task. On the other hand, it was Saint John who first gave sound arguments for worshiping the images. The basic source of knowledge about John of Damascus’ teaching on the icons are his Three Treatises on the Divine Images. On this basis, I begin with the main area of iconoclastic controversy which is the Old-Testament prohibition of images. John shows the purpose of this prohibition and claims that it has a relative character. Through the Incarnation of God it loses its validity. Then I present the Damascene’s arguments for the possibility of presenting the images of God after the Incarnation and for the quasi-sacramental role of matter – redeemed and filled with grace. In the final part I show how the author extends his arguments also to the images of Mary and other saints.References
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