Images in Christian Thought of the 3rd – 6th Centuries: From Theology to Pedagogy

Keywords: early Christianity, image, pictures, pedagogy, iconoclasm, illustrations, Bible, Church Fathers, common people

Abstract

The article explores the use of images in Christian educational tradition. It deals with the attitudes towards fine arts that has been hitherto thematized mainly within philosophical discourse. In this paper we shall avoid theological debates on images in religion and focus on neutral images that were not used in ritual practices. The author shows that in ancient pedagogical thought the importance of artistic and poetic imagery was highly praised and they were believed to be superior in quality and ontological value to images. The works of fine arts were considered as agents of knowledge suitable to educate commoners. Representation in general played an important role in Hellenistic society and culture. However, since education was elitist, visualization received no special place of its own in pedagogy. The perception of the visual arts in Christianity and Judaism was based on the same principles of using images that had previously been used in Hellenistic culture, by adapting them to the cult and mindset of their religions. The walls of synagogues, houses of Christian meetings, catacombs, churches, etc. were painted with frescoes and decorated with mosaics. Small visual forms and illustrated codices were quite important. Analysis of the visual heritage confirms its connection with religious education. Christian adoption of fine arts also developed the ancient thought on artworks as agents of knowledge. Christian authors applied to images those concepts that previously concerned only poetry. Ideas on the psycho-emotional impact of images were often expressed. Latin authors, fully aware of these ideas, accentuated the use of images as a means of educating the illiterate. Being involved in teaching commoners, they made important observations about the educational use of images. In particular they emphasized that the agency of images was restricted: pictures required explanation and could even be misleading.

Author Biography

Z. A. Lurie, National Research University “Higher School of Economics”

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2024-6-2-244-261

Zinaida A. Lurie
National Research University “Higher School of Economics”,
Moscow, Russia
zlure@hse.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8621-5560

Abstract
The article explores the use of images in Christian educational tradition. It deals with the attitudes towards fine arts that has been hitherto thematized mainly within philosophical discourse. In this paper we shall avoid theological debates on images in religion and focus on neutral images that were not used in ritual practices. The author shows that in ancient pedagogical thought the importance of artistic and poetic imagery was highly praised and they were believed to be superior in quality and ontological value to images. The works of fine arts were considered as agents of knowledge suitable to educate commoners. Representation in general played an important role in Hellenistic society and culture. However, since education was elitist, visualization received no special place of its own in pedagogy. The perception of the visual arts in Christianity and Judaism was based on the same principles of using images that had previously been used in Hellenistic culture, by adapting them to the cult and mindset of their religions. The walls of synagogues, houses of Christian meetings, catacombs, churches, etc. were painted with frescoes and decorated with mosaics. Small visual forms and illustrated codices were quite important. Analysis of the visual heritage confirms its connection with religious education. Christian adoption of fine arts also developed the ancient thought on artworks as agents of knowledge. Christian authors applied to images those concepts that previously concerned only poetry. Ideas on the psycho-emotional impact of images were often expressed. Latin authors, fully aware of these ideas, accentuated the use of images as a means of educating the illiterate. Being involved in teaching commoners, they made important observations about the educational use of images. In particular they emphasized that the agency of images was restricted: pictures required explanation and could even be misleading.

Keywords: early Christianity, image, pictures, pedagogy, iconoclasm, illustrations, Bible, Church Fathers, common people

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About author

Zinaida A. Lurie
Cand. Sci. (History),
Research Fellow of Laboratory for Curriculum Design
National Research University “Higher School of Economics”
10 Bldg., 16, Potapovsky Lane, Moscow, 101000,
Russian Federation
E-mail: zlure@hse.ru

For citation:
Lurie Z. A. Images in Christian thought of the 3rd – 6th centuries: From theology to pedagogy. Journal
of Visual Theology. 2024. Vol. 6. 2. Pp. 244–261. https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2024-6-2-244-261

Published
2024-11-20
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Vol 6 No 2 (2024): Journal of Visual Theology
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Articles
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