I dont have enough money to buy any better.

I thought that another suspect group was in Nebraska.

A priest from the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese wrote quite a scathing analysis of their failings (as a holy community of iconographers).

In Christ.

Hello:

With all due respect, I'd have to say that this extrapolation of artistic perception into spiritual judgement is dangerous, to say the least.

If a particular piece of religious art doesn't inspire us, it doesn't mean that it cannot inspire anybody, much less that the author was not truly expressing his/her "o"rthodox faith by creating it.

Religious art, as long as it reflects correct doctrine and respect for the represented person or object, is to be appreciated.

Our personal taste, we must keep it personal, both in our hearts and when we express it to others.

Shalom,
Memo.

Dear Memo,

But that doesn't mean that the Administrator can't tell a spiritually gifted person when he sees one . . .

Alex

Dear Memo,

When did we begin to consider true icons as art?

In my book, art stops at the end of creation. The properly written icon is a window into eternity. For this reason, icons written without proper spiritual/prayer life behind them don't look onto eternity and are rightly considered just art and only as great as art can be, which is not much in comparison with eternity.

In Christ.

Dear Andrew,

Again, please refer to my response to Amado above . . .

Alex

Dear Alex,

Sorry, I couldn't find that response. Is that to Memo? On which day/time.

In Christ.

Dear Andrew,

The group that runs "Monastery Icons" was originally in Geneva, Neb. They then relocated to their current home in Borrego Springs, Calif.

Like many here I too own several of their icons and thought nothing wrong with them. However (and I am almost sure we discussed this at length in a thread on the pre-crash board) knowing what I know today, I would refrain from purchasing anything from them in the future. Why? Well, because they are non-canonical & unrecognized by any official church - East or West, Catholic or Orthodox, and some of their beliefs border on the syncretistic. This last fact was related to me from one of our priests who had dealings with them in the past. I wouldn't want to inadvertently support something that may be heterodox.

Again, this is my view of situation. If you feel comfortable buying their products - that fine with me.



PAX

Br. Elias

Dear Brother Elias,

Many RC schools and priests buy their iconic depictions of Western themes, including their Stations of the Cross.

Syncretistic? Sounds a bit like my old RC high school . . .

Alex

Dear Br. Elias,

I share your view and certainly wouldn't purchase or use them. I'm currently working to have some of them removed from the churches.

In Christ.

Dear Andrew,

Sometimes you can be a real spoil-sport . . .

Don't you have better things to occupy yourself with?

Like coming up with a more original screen-name here?

Alex

I agree, Alex. Orthodox should be more creative then that!

Hello:

Please define "properly written icon" without using any terms that would imply you're talking about a piece of religious art.

Also, since we human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, then all that we are, and all that we do has the potential to be a window into eternity.

The Gospel is full of such windows: A coin found, a tree grown, a sheep cared for, a seed sown.

Thank you.

Shalom,
Memo.

Dear Alex,

I didn't say what I would do with them should I have them removed. Hint: it's a fate much worse than the basement!

In Christ.

Dear Memo,

Thanks for your well-defined question.

We have a priest here in Philadelphia who works among the homeless children of the streets and he has often taught us in the same vein as you write. He says that we and all things are icons. Some are holy icons and some are unholy icons. Even we who aspire to or believe that we are creeping closer to God, are still damaged icons. We all fall short of the glory of which we are the icon and likeness.

In this regard, the degree of holiness transcends issues of technical correctness (I'm not speaking of doctrinal correctness, for many an heresy was couched in beautiful words or writing; and Satan himself was the most brilliant of all the angels.) I'm speaking of the effort to suppress the influences of this world and look into the next. For this reason, the masters place such incredible weight upon the prayer life of the writer as a prerequisite to the work.

A true iconographer would just as soon give his work to a passing admirer or tourist (surmising that the Holy Spirit has blown this lost soul into his presence) than sell it for the due and deserved monetary rewards.

The holiness (meaning the "otherliness" or degree to which this person has "set this work aside" [from other tasks] to the glory of God) of the writer's effort is why God grants the writer's hands, the wood and the egg tempura (and maybe even acrylics?) the ability to show us a glimpse into the transfigured life of heaven.

So you are 100% correct! [except that I add one or two words]: "all that we are and all that we do [that is holy] has the potential to be a window into eternity."

When I argue or curse my brother, I have no ability to open a window onto heaven. In fact some would say that when one does this, one opens a window onto hell!

Lord have mercy.

In Christ.