Dinner & Discourse with Fr. Frederick
Eastern Orthodox priest explains icon use
Teresa Mull
Issue date: 11/25/08 Section: News
At this week's Dinner and Discourse, roughly 40 people gathered to hear Fr. Justin Frederick, an Eastern Orthodox priest from St. Maximus the Confessor Church in Denton, speak about Orthodox iconography.
Frederick introduced his talk by referencing modern icons, such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis, as "cultural icons" whom he said are "well known, and embody something of our culture or values." To further the recognition of icons in a modern sense, he mentioned a computer icon as "a little image to take you somewhere else." Frederick finished his introduction to the subject of iconography by defining his terms. He quoted St. John of Damascus who wrote that an icon is, "a likeness or a model or a figure of something showing in itself what it depicts...[though it is] not always like its prototype in every way."
Frederick explained that an icon is to be used to "represent something beyond itself," and that it is a "link between the image and the reality that it depicts." Expanding on these explanations, Frederick used a "Praying with Icons" handout to cite Scripture, which says, "Christ is the image of Invisible God" (Col:1:15). Frederick clarified that "we are also icons of the Father in our formation to Christ in our salvation."
Frederick made reference to the Iconoclasm controversy of the eighth century to show how iconic images have not always been viewed in a favorable light. He went on to note that even in today's society, the use of such holy images is still questioned. Frederick countered Protestant objectors who see iconic images as disobeying the Second Commandment, which forbids false idols, by explaining the purpose behind this law. He said that the command was given to Moses and the people he led because "there was nothing visible to depict when they heard God speak," and that "the golden calf image was not worthy." Frederick stressed that this prohibition was not absolute, and gave the example of God instructing Moses to construct two cherubim in the book of Exodus to prove this.
Frederick introduced his talk by referencing modern icons, such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis, as "cultural icons" whom he said are "well known, and embody something of our culture or values." To further the recognition of icons in a modern sense, he mentioned a computer icon as "a little image to take you somewhere else." Frederick finished his introduction to the subject of iconography by defining his terms. He quoted St. John of Damascus who wrote that an icon is, "a likeness or a model or a figure of something showing in itself what it depicts...[though it is] not always like its prototype in every way."
Frederick explained that an icon is to be used to "represent something beyond itself," and that it is a "link between the image and the reality that it depicts." Expanding on these explanations, Frederick used a "Praying with Icons" handout to cite Scripture, which says, "Christ is the image of Invisible God" (Col:1:15). Frederick clarified that "we are also icons of the Father in our formation to Christ in our salvation."
Frederick made reference to the Iconoclasm controversy of the eighth century to show how iconic images have not always been viewed in a favorable light. He went on to note that even in today's society, the use of such holy images is still questioned. Frederick countered Protestant objectors who see iconic images as disobeying the Second Commandment, which forbids false idols, by explaining the purpose behind this law. He said that the command was given to Moses and the people he led because "there was nothing visible to depict when they heard God speak," and that "the golden calf image was not worthy." Frederick stressed that this prohibition was not absolute, and gave the example of God instructing Moses to construct two cherubim in the book of Exodus to prove this.
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