Essay Example on the Iconoclastic Controversy

The iconoclastic controversy is a historical disagreement between two factions on the use of icons for religious purposes. The controversy emerged in the Byzantine Empire between two factions in the Easter church. The root of this controversy was about the various uses of icons in adorning churches and the monastery. Some of these cons inclined those of the angels, patriarchs, saints, the Virgin Mary, and apostles. The most well-known s acheiropoieta drawn from the Byzantine period included the Mandylion. The icon was a cloth imprinted with the face of Christ and a ceramic tile that gave the false impression of Christ's face. Those who were against these icons were christened the iconoclasts. They wanted these images destroyed and removed from churches since they portrayed an inclination towards idolatry. The other group called the iconodules supported the use of such icons just like any ordinary decorations for the church. Both the iconoclasts and iconodules had justifiable premises for their string stances

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The iconoclasts substantially believed that the use of the icons in the church was more than just decoration since people had some spiritual attachments to them. It implies that the people would worship and adore such spirits instead of focusing on God alone. They firmly believed that people are likely to be drawn towards the visual representations of spiritual abodes than the unseen God; hence, the continued use of icons would constitute idolatry. This worshiping of idols goes against the principles of the Old Testament's Ten Commandments in which the Bible requires Christians not to worship or revere anything in the image of God but rather God himself. Therefore, the controversy was an apparent attempt to correct the error of worshiping images. Essentially, it is difficult to dismiss the assertions of the iconoclasts as a misplaced or sheer misguidance. The images of God does not indicate any sublime divinity but rather the concrete person of Christ. It acts as the creation of a reincarnate God who people can shore awe and attach spirituality. The icons are depictions of, and the invisible god is an idol, which mainly provides an image of God.

On the other hand, the iconodules also had a valid argument but from a completely different standpoint. They construed that the iconoclast's persuasion for the destruction of the icons was based on the strict understanding of the Old Testament, which prohibited idolatry. According to them, the commandment against idolatry is not absolute. For instance, they gave the example of how God instructed the making the Ark of Covenant. The three dimensional Ark of Covenant was made in such a way that it represented the Cherubim (divine spirits or angels). Therefore, it was inconsistent to refuse the use of such images blatantly yet they are also documented in some sections of the bible. The only religious mistake would have been if the people redirected their worship and reverence to the icons as the center of spirituality. Furthermore, the New Testament expresses that God has become flesh in Jesus; it is possible and valid to argue that God is inherently a spirit but can be shown in images within the Christian context as long as honor and respect remain directed to God Almighty.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both the iconodules and iconoclasts raised critical points for and against the use of icons in the Christian context respectively. While the faction that supported the use of such images had a liberal approach to the biblical verses about worship, those who opposed it embraced a strict and uncompromising adherence to the dictates of the bible. Eventually, the iconoclast movement triumphed.