Lutheran/Orthodox-Saints and Icons
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Lutheranism
Saints & Icons
· Proper uses of the saints include: 1) Thanksgiving to God for the grace and mercy He has shown His faithful. 2) For the strengthening of faith. When a believer sees that even Peter can be forgiven, he is assured that grace abounds. We see God’s greatness in the weakness of the saints. 3) As examples of Holy living. (AP XXI: 4-7)
· Usage of the saints does not include invocation and prayer.
· We do not deny that the saints in heaven pray for the Church on Earth in general. However we have no promise from the scriptures that the saints receive our prayers. “Since neither a command, nor a promise, nor an example can be produced from the Scriptures concerning the invocation of saints, it follows that conscience can have nothing concerning this invocation that is certain. And since prayer ought to be made from faith, how do we know that God approves this invocation?" (AP XXI: 10)
· The invocation of saints turns one’s faith from Christ alone to the saints with Christ’s help.
· In regards to the use of icons, the Church has always found icons to be helpful in the instruction of the unlearned.
· God Himself commanded that images be made to adorn His holy sanctuary. Exodus 25-26 describes the command to make cherubim for the mercy seat. Angels were also made for the Tabernacle. The priest was greatly adorned with symbols of Israel to stand before the Lord. The ark of the covenant itself was commanded to be made, as well as the staff and bronze serpent.
· The proper uses of icons include: statues, paintings, and any artwork is certainly permitted and even encouraged as is evident throughout the history of the Church. However, they cannot deliver grace to us. They are not a means of God’s grace.
Eastern Orthodoxy
Saints & Icons
· Many of the saints have been given special “grace” to perform miracles either before death or after death.
· They have also been granted the special gift to pray and intercede for those still living in this world. They share prayers and good works with the saints on earth.
· Saints are often depicted through icons whereby the orthodox Christian may pray through the icon to the saint.
· Veneration (as opposed to adoration) of the saints is essential for affecting the mystical union with God.
The use of icons in the Eastern Church is one of great irony because it was the Eastern Church that forbade their use citing icons as a hindrance to the conversion of the Muslims. All icons were eventually condemned. Only through the seventh Ecumenical council was the veneration of icons permitted.
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