Daily Devotion for Wednesday 30th September 2026
Wednesday 30th September Icons and Graven Images
Exodus 20: 4
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
Reflection
Art in synagogues and mosques is abstract, careful not to breach the Second Commandment. Catholic and Orthodox art, on the other hand, depicts Jesus, the saints, and even God the Father (the Holy Spirit being trickier to represent). Over the years the Church has debated whether one worships, reverences, or simply appreciates such images (and each side accused the other of heresy!).
The Greek word icon means “likeness”. Between 726 and 843 a debate raged between iconoclasts (who destroyed icons) and iconophiles (who kept them). Iconoclasts might have been influenced by the rise of Islam which adheres strictly to the Second Commandment. Suggesting worshippers might direct prayer toward an image, bow before it, or kiss it was thought to encourage idolatry. Painting Christ was thought to undermine his divine nature – for the iconoclasts the Cross alone was a sufficient visual symbol; icons were removed from churches. Iconophiles, on the other hand, argued the incarnation allowed representations of Christ as a human and that there was a difference between reverencing an icon and worshipping God. Idolatry, they felt, was avoided as worship was directed to the prototype upon whom the icon was based not the icon itself. Things were settled by a Council in 843 in favour of icons and a new feast, The Triumph of Orthodoxy, established to celebrate. The debate lingered, however, for the next 700 years emerging again in the Reformation era.
Feelings now are not so strong; we might depict Christ and Biblical figures in art in our buildings – though we tend not to have crucifixes. Where we do have art, however, we don’t expect, or encourage, people to bow or light candles near it; but I’m not sure we have strong views about these practices happening in other traditions. We certainly don’t see them as heresy! As with many ancient heresies we’ve learned to live with different perspectives – even as we dig our heels in on more contemporary matters!
Prayer
You, O God, are Immortal, invisible; the only wise god.
In light inaccessible You were hid from our eyes,
but became one of us, one with us, in Jesus Christ.
Let our lives become, O Ancient of Days,
likenesses of Him,
art representing Your grace,
icons leading into life. Amen.