This course offers its participants an opportunity to reflect on Eastern Christian (‘Byzantine’, ‘Orthodox’) iconography as a source of theological meaning, spiritual experience, and aesthetic beauty. Byzantine iconographic tradition gradually developed from the first visual representation in the early Christian period (1-3rd centuries) to its mature stage in the medieval Byzantium (10-15th centuries), and beyond, up until modern times. This tradition has many branches, geographical and ethnic, and is universally celebrated for its theological richness and spiritual profundity. Although, usually icons are perceived as something ancient and archaic, many modern people still pray with icons, meditate on their religious message, and enjoy their tranquil, subtle beauty.
The course will have historical, theological, spiritual and artistic elements, with rich illustrative material (PowerPoint slides, additional images and texts).
For those who took courses on Iconography before (with me or other instructors): this will be an atypical course, approaching the subject not from a usual historical perspective (as an overview of the history of Christian art and its major artifacts), but from a theological/spiritual standpoint (the deeper meaning of icons). For more advanced students, who are already familiar with the history of iconography, this will be a build-up upon their preliminary knowledge. The beginners will have an opportunity to review some of my earlier lectures on the essentials of the theology and history of iconography (5 pre-recorded, studio-quality video lectures), and catch up with the material for this course.
NB: Participants who wish to obtain academic credits (3 credit points) for this course will be able to do so by fulfilling all course requirements (to be specified with the instructor individually)
Course content: In this course we will survey main types of traditional Byzantine icons (in their various artistic versions – from earliest examples until modern ones). We will ponder on theological and spiritual meaning of icons of the Lord, of Mary, of the Holy Trinity, Old and New Testament scenes, principal liturgical feasts, and some saints. We will view them as symbolic expressions of deeper religious and spiritual truths about God, human beings, the world and its salvation in Christ.
We will cover 10 major topics:
1. Introduction: What is the Icon? and Why do we have it?
2. Synergy of Word and Image in Christian Theology: Biblical Roots, Theological Development, Spiritual and Pastoral Applications
3. Various Faces of Jesus: Iconography of Jesus Christ
4. Marian Iconography as the Theology of Incarnation
5. Iconography of the Old Testament – prophetic images of Salvation
6. Picturing the Ineffable: Iconography of the Holy Trinity
7. Iconography of the New Testament – Key-events of Salvation
8. Iconography of Angels and Saints
9. Iconography of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross
10. Conclusion of the course: Summary and further study directions.