Why we need in : and Rev Dr Jos M Strengholt

1 Introduction In spite of his high position at the In this article I argue that the court, in a sensitive situation with usage of icons is important and slowly increasing measures beneficial for the Church. We against Christians, John was re- will listen to the arguments sponsible for the first Christian John of Damascus (ca. 675-749), tract ever against . This tract, the main theological defender Dispute between a Saracen and a of the usage of icons in the Christian, is ascribed to John as it Church in the period between was probably based on his oral 726 and 843, when the Church teachings. In his dogmatic work was wrecked by internal disa- Sources of Knowledge he also in- greements over this matter. cluded a chapter titled ‘Concern- The three treatises that he John of Damascus ing Heresies’ in which Islam was wrote on icons played a major treated. role in the eventual defeat of iconoclasm, John had a fairly accurate picture of Is- the movement that wanted to do away with lam. In the Dispute he treated, for instance, all images in the Church. some issues that were debated among This paper begins with a brief introduc- Muslims at the Ummayad court; he seems tion of John’s life under Islam and of the to even have participated in some public iconoclast issue. After describing the three discussions in the caliphal palace. The Dis- treatises of John, this paper describes the pute reflects the debates of those days be- decision of the Seventh tween the Islamic Qadarite theological to support the usage of icons in Church. school that stressed human free will Then I will briefly describe how the icono- against the idea of absolute predestination clast issue ended, before drawing some that was defended by the Jabariyah school personal conclusion. of thought. John also participated in the discussions between those who held that 2 John’s Life under Islam the Quran was created and those who sup- ported the view of an uncreated Quran. John never lived in a Christian-ruled land; John was an example of the important he was born in Damascus after Muslims public role Christians could play and the had conquered Syria (636), and in this en- space for their public witness in the early vironment he served the Islamic govern- Islamic Empire. He resigned, however, ment and his Church. Under the rule of the from the caliphal service when Caliph al- Umayyads (661-750), Christians still had Walid (ruled from 705-715) changed the much space for a public role. John is one of administrative language from Greek to Ar- the greatest examples of this freedom. abic and when other discriminatory legisla- Both his grandfather and his father were tion was introduced against Christians. chancellor of Syria; he was brought up at Whatever the direct cause of John’s deci- the court of Caliph Muawiya, where he was sion, he left the court in Damascus and en- a good friend with Muawiya’s son and heir tered the Mar Saba monastery close to Je- Yazid who knew him by his Arabic name rusalem in the Southern Judaean Desert; Mansur. John inherited his father’s office of from this monastery he fought his theolog- chancellor. He had enjoyed the proper ical battles against iconoclasm. classical Greek education to prepare him for this. Why we need icons in Church – Heliopolis, 7 November 2013 1 3 Iconoclasm during the eighth century the Church in The Church of Byzantium was wrecked by those parts of the world that were ruled by the internal disputes over the usage of Islam still played an important role in the icons and other images in . Church Byzantine communion. Some of John’s historians disagree about what role Islam songs were eventually adopted for the lit- and its abhorrence of devotion to statues urgy. This period was very important for and images in worship played in this inter- the Church because its liturgy, including its nal Christian debate. Especially Emperor art and songs, were now more carefully de- Leo III in Constantinople played an im- fined. portant role in forbidding the usage of The importance of John in the battle icons. In 726 he ordered the destruction of over icons is shown at the iconoclast Coun- all religious images, cil of Hiereia in Chalcedon (754). Accord- formalizing this with ing to one tradition, over 300 bishops were an edict in 730. present and condemned John, who had al- Germanus I, the ready passed away about five years earlier. Byzantine Patriarch, He was condemned under his Arab name protested against the Mansur, not under his monastic name John, edict and appealed for for supporting the cause of the icons. The help to the Roman Leo III on a coin Council was later not accorded an ecumen- Pope Gregory II. Leo III thereupon de- ical status and its condemnation of John posed Germanus I as a traitor, in 730. Em- and its iconoclastic decrees were later re- peror Leo III wrote to Pope Gregory II, jected by the Western and Eastern Church- commanding him to accept his edict and es. John was probably a formidable adver- destroy all the religious images in Rome sary for the iconoclasts because of his theo- and summon a general council to forbid logical arguments but also because he their usage in Church. Gregory II refused could argue freely as he lived beyond the to obey, even though the Emperor threat- reach of the Byzantine Emperor in Muslim ened to come to Rome, break the statue of lands. St. Peter and imprison Gregory II. John may have had his arguments The most steadfast opponents of icono- against iconoclasm ready before the dis- clasm were monks. Leo III therefore fierce- cussions in the Church began, as it is likely ly persecuted many monasteries and he that Jews and Muslims in Syria and Pales- even tried to suppress alto- tine had already been criticizing the gether. The monks were, because of their Church for the idolatry of ‘worshiping lifestyle and devotion, less inclined to hon- icons’. This context may have made John or and obey the hierarchy of State and more strident to defend the early Christian Church. With the common people, they al- of the Church; for John, the issue so gravitated to using ‘means of grace’, like was not just a defense of the traditional icons, that were unrelated to this hierarchy Christian usage, but it was also a matter of of the Church. Was Leo’s battle against defending the Church as a whole against icons maybe an effort to strengthen the Jews and Muslims. central powers of the Church and the State, 4.2 First Treatise (ca. 726-729) given the need for a stronger central gov- Very shortly after Emperor Leo III began ernment at the time of major attacks on the his struggle against the usage of icons in by both Arabs and Slavs? Church, John wrote a rather lengthy rebut- tal of the iconoclast viewpoints. John ar- 4 ‘On the Divine Images’ gues that he knows the Biblical injunctions

4.1 Importance of John of Damascus against making images and worshipping John of Damascus wrote three treatises on very well; he quotes for instance from the the usage of icons against the iconoclasts. Ten Commandments that it is not allowed His important role in the debate shows that to make an image and worship that as .

Why we need icons in Church – Heliopolis, 7 November 2013 2 ‘I have taken heed to the words of Truth John also asks the critics of the usage of Himself: “The Lord thy God is one.” And icons in Church to be realistic: they vener- “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt ate the cross, the holy mountain of Golgo- serve Him only, and thou shalt not have tha, the Holy Sepulchre, the physical Gospel strange .” Again, “Thou shalt not make books that are processed into church, the to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of body and blood of Christ at holy Eucharist, anything that is in heaven above, or in the even though these are mere matter and not earth beneath” and “Let them be all con- God. Is there then any difference in princi- founded that adore graven things.” Again, ple when other images in Church are ven- “The gods that have not made heaven and erated? earth, let them perish.”’ He argues, howev- Also, John writes, our senses create an er, that images of are of God who image of the incarnate God. We do that came in the flesh and who made himself through letters in a book, for the literate; visible; hence, to make an image of him is we do it with images for the illiterate. acceptable and good: ‘When the Invisible Some of the iconoclasts seemed to argue One becomes visible to flesh, you may then a compromise, namely, that only images of draw a likeness of His form.’ Jesus and Mary would be acceptable. John Moreover, John argues that the issue at brushes this away as absurd: ‘O what folly stake in the laws of the is this is! … For if you make an image of Christ not the making of images per se, but the and not of the saints, it is evident that you worship of these images as divine. The do not disown images, but the honor of the Creator alone must be worshipped. As long saints.’ The saints deserve veneration as as the Creator was invisible, any image of they have been glorified by Christ. Solo- God was unacceptable; as he made himself mon built his temple with imagines of visible in Jesus Christ, we are invited to de- cherubim, oxen, lions, pomegranates and pict him and all events of his life in words phoenixes (LXX, but possibly better: palm and in colors: ‘Give to it all the endurance trees) all around. Should the house of the of engraving and colour.’ Lord for Christians not be adorned with the Next, John differentiates between differ- forms and images of saints, as these saints ent degrees of veneration. In the Bible, God, are filled with the Holy Spirit while animals people and objects related to the service in and trees are lifeless? the tabernacle receive veneration, that is, Not venerating the saints through the us- proskunesis (Greek for bowing down). God age of images in Church is like divesting also receives this veneration, but in this Christ of his army. John lists whom he ven- case it is proper worship, in Greek, latreia, erates; those are Jesus Christ, and Mary, ‘…which we show to God, who alone by na- and also the saints. He does this because ture is worthy of worship’. John shows ‘the honor given to the image passes to the many examples of the veneration of people archetype.’ If the Church does not want to and things other than God in the Scriptures, venerate the archetypes through icons, like the sons of Emmor, Esau, Pharaoh, and then it should also give up all memorial angels of God. celebrations of the saints. These really de- John mentions how we all make verbal serve veneration: ‘If the friends of God and mental images of things related to God, have had a part in the sufferings of Christ, for instance, when we compare the how shall they not receive a share of His with the sun, its light and its rays. The laws glory even on earth?’ of God were engraved on tablets, hence, Finally, John stresses that the ordinances they were images. God ordered these tab- of the Church have not only been handed lets to be kept in an ark, with a jar and a down in the Scriptures, but also through rod. God ordered cherubim to be made to the verbal tradition of the Church. John cover the mercy seat; actually the whole quotes St Basil the Great: ‘In the cherished tabernacle was an image. teaching and dogmas of the Church, we

Why we need icons in Church – Heliopolis, 7 November 2013 3 hold some things by written documents; to be persuaded that the Church is set in others we have received in mystery from order by imperial edicts, but by patristic the apostolical tradition. Both are of equal traditions, written and unwritten.’ value for the 's growth.’ John mentions Interesting is that John mentions several that the locations of Golgotha and the grave ‘instruments of salvation’: the veneration of Christ are only known through tradition. of the cross, the lance, the reed and the He points at the Church’s habit of immers- sponge that were used for the killing of ing three times at baptism and the Christ. There was obviously unanimity that direction to the east. Hereby he seems to this was good. He therefore asks, why then answer the argument of iconoclasts that not venerate images of the suffering of the veneration of saints and the usage of Christ? And he is quick to add that he does icons are not mentioned in the Scriptures, not venerate the material the icons are hence, supposedly, unacceptable. For John made of. He proves this by reminding the it is a Pauline command to keep the early reader that crosses and icons are burned tradition of the veneration of icons: ‘There- when they are damaged: ‘It is evident that I fore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the tra- do not worship matter, for supposing the ditions which you have learned either by Cross, if it be made of wood, should fall to word, or by our epistle.’ (II Thess. 2.15) pieces, I should throw them into the fire, Also, the fact that pagans worship imag- and the same with images.’ es does not mean that Christians should Icons are ‘mere matter’, but John honors not use images and venerate those. No one them, ‘not as God, but as a channel of divine should cancel a tradition of the Church that strength and grace’. John that im- is practiced all over the world and since the ages in church are special channels chosen earliest days of the Church. To silence his by God for strengthening believers and for opponents John addresses their usage of imparting his grace to them. God uses some to back up iconoclas- means for communicating his goodness to tic arguments. Some texts of Epiphanius the believers, and icons are important and Athanasius were used by his oppo- means. nents. However, John skillfully contextual- Finally, John adds the florilegium that izes these proof-texts and shows that they was also added to his first treatise, with the cannot be used for general iconoclastic ar- addition of a few other quotes from the fa- gumentation. thers of the Church.

Finally, John ads a florilegium, that is, a 4.4 Third Treatise (early 740s) long list of quotes from earlier Church Fa- In his third treatise, John repeats many thers that support his viewpoint. His final previous arguments but he now also deals point in those is that it is not for Emperors more extensively with the nature of icons. to change the habits of the Church. Deci- As all of life has a material and a spiritual sions in the Church are made by the Church component, so do the icons in Church. ‘It is itself through Councils. He entreats the impossible for us to reach what is intelligi- Church to cling to its traditions; a house ble apart from what is bodily.’ can collapse if just one stone is taken away Like in his second treatise, John makes a and likewise, the removal of what has been sharp distinction between ‘unspiritual’ Ju- handed down in the Church is devastating daism and spiritual . The fact for the Church. that they worshipped the golden calf in the 4.3 Second Treatise (ca. 731) desert shows why God had to be so strict in This second treatise was written after Leo warning against worshipping icons. Chris- III had deposed Germanus I; it is a shorter tians do not need this warning as they version of the first treatise. John, however, know God in Christ and they have deeper spends considerably more space and ar- knowledge of the truth. guments to show that Emperors should not After an introduction that is not much dictate the affairs of the Church: ‘I am not different from what we have read in the

Why we need icons in Church – Heliopolis, 7 November 2013 4 earlier treatises, John spends much space tween 330 and 367 to systematically treat the follow- bishops convened; ing matters: they agreed to the • What is an image? following:

• What is the purpose of an image? We, therefore, fol- • What different kinds of image are lowing […] the di- there? vinely inspired au- • What can be depicted in an image and thority of our Holy what can not be depicted? Fathers and the • Who first made an image? traditions of the • What is veneration? (for, as we all • Five kinds of veneration. know, the Holy Empress Irene • How many objects of veneration do we Spirit indwells her), define with all certitude find in Scripture? and accuracy that […] the venerable and ho- • All veneration takes place for the sake ly images, as well in painting and mosaic as of God who is worthy of all veneration. of other fit materials, should be set forth in • The honor offered to the image passes the holy Churches of God, and on the sacred to the archetype. vessels and on the and on hang- John ends his third treatise with an ur- ings and in pictures both in houses and by the wayside, to wit, the figure of our Lord gent invitation to the Church to not allow it God and Savior Jesus Christ, of our spotless to be broken up by the neglect and rejec- Lady, the Mother of God, of the honorable tion of icons: ‘Therefore, brethren, let us Angels, of all Saints and of all pious people. take our stand on the rock of the , and For [the more] they are seen in artistic rep- on the tradition of the Church, neither re- resentation, [the] more readily are men lift- moving the boundaries laid down by our ed up to the memory of their prototypes, holy fathers of old, nor listening to those and to a longing after them; and to these who would introduce innovation and de- should be given due salutation and honora- stroy the of the holy Catholic and ble reverence, not indeed that true worship Apostolic Church of God.’ It is important to [Greek: latreia] of faith which pertains alone hold on to the traditions and to honor Jesus, to the divine nature; but to these, as to the Mary, the angels and all the saints by show- figure of the precious and life-giving Cross and to the Book of the Gospels and to the ing due respect to the icons that depict other holy objects, incense them. ‘We venerate the images, not by of- and lights may be offered fering veneration to matter, but through according to ancient pious them to those that are depicted in them.’ custom. For the honor that John then adds a florilegium of patristic is paid to the image passes quotes, longer than the florilegia after his on to that which the image first two treatises. He shows that the represents, and he who viewpoint of those who support the usage reveres the image reveres of icons in the Church stands in a long tra- in it the subject represent- ed dition of highly respected Church fathers. Interesting is how this 5 Seventh Ecumenical Council decision by the Council The issue of icons brought the Seventh Regent Theodora reflects the arguments Ecumenical Council, Nicea II, together in and language used by the year 787. In order to unite the Church John of Damascus. Though the Ecumenical of Rome and Byzantium, Empress Irene, decision was clear, disputes about icons her minor son Emperor Constantine VI, continued until 842. Theodora, regent for and Patriarch Tarasius of Constantinople her young son after her husband the Em- called the bishops of Christendom together peror had died, took decisive action to once for ending the iconoclastic controversy. Be- and for all end iconoclasm. She released

Why we need icons in Church – Heliopolis, 7 November 2013 5 those who were in prison for defending permanent visual invitation to believe the icons, and installed Methodius as patriarch Gospel and to live a life of holiness. of Constantinople. This monk had suffered The author of the Letter seven years of imprisonment. In 842 a syn- to the Hebrews writes about these heroes od at Constantinople excommunicated the in order to encourage us to follow in their iconoclasts and the Church would not be footsteps of faith; likewise, with images in plagued by iconoclasm again. On the first Church of those heroes of the faith we sur- Sunday of Lent, 19 February 842, the icons round ourselves with a permanent re- were brought back into the Churches in minder to emulate their lifestyle of faith. solemn processions. That day was made 6.4 To honor the saints into a perpetual memory as the Feast of Icons do not entice people to venerate the of the Byzantine Church. images themselves, let alone worship them, but they invite us to show proper respect 6 Personal Conclusions and veneration for the Virgin Mary, for the

6.1 Testimony of the ancient church angels and for the best leaders of the To reject the usage of images in Church Church of the past and of the present. means to reject a habit that was dear and Christians find it easy to honor kings and acceptable to all Fathers of the Church. It presidents, musicians and artists; what is also contradicts the central decision of the more logical for us than to honor our saint- Seventh Ecumenical Council of the Church. ly ancestors even more? Christians should This in itself should make anyone think be eager to show respect and admiration twice before siding with iconoclasm. for the heroes of our faith. The saints of the past and those of the present show us 6.2 Creational and incarnational God at work in their lives, and it is for this Using images in Church for enticing people presence of God and for their obedience to to worship God and to honor and imitate Him that we venerate them. the lifestyle of the saints is in line with the incarnational heart of the Gospel: God re- 6.5 Community of the saints vealed himself through the physicality of Moreover, these images help us to have a Jesus. God uses means for accomplishing proper sense of the community that the his goals. Church is. We do not come to Church for Using images is also in accord with our an individualistic meeting with God; we humanity as created by God. The idea that come to the community of believers of past God only uses our ears for his communica- and present, to meet with God together. tion with humankind is strange and con- We worship God with all the company of tradicts all we know about how people heaven, that is, with angels, with Mary and learn. Nowhere in the Scriptures do we see all the saints together. It is in accord with the idea that God only uses one of our the Scriptures and with the tradition of the senses for communicating with us. Ignor- Church to present this visually in the place ing visual arts in Church can only be at our of worship with proper images. own the expense. It denies the implica- tions of God’s creation and incarnation and it rejects a natural means of how God speaks to us.

6.3 Focus on salvation by Christ and dis- Short Bibliography cipleship St John of Damascus, Three Treatises On the Images in a Church are useful for us to be Divine Images, Translated and Introduction reminded of the salvation wrought by by Andrew Louth (Crestwood 2003) Christ and for being urged to worship God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are a John of Damascus, ‘An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith’, in Philip Schaff and

Why we need icons in Church – Heliopolis, 7 November 2013 6 Henry Wace (eds), A Select Library of Ni- Adrian Fortescue, ‘Iconoclasm’, in the cene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Chris- Catholic Encyclopedia as published on tian Church Second Series Vol. IX (Grand www.newadvent.org (accessed 13 October Rapids, 1989, first edition 1898). 2013)

‘The Decree of the Holy, Great, Ecumenical Andrew Louth, St John Damascene: Tradi- Synod, the Second of Nice’, in Henry R. Par- tion and Originality in Byzantine cival, The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the (Oxford, 2004, first edition 2002)

Undivided Church; Their Canons and Dog- Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity, the First matic Decrees (Edinburgh, Grand Rapids, Three Thousand Years (London, 2010) 1988, first edition 1899). B. Studer, ‘John Damascene’, in Encyclope- dia of the Early Church

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