Conversation With a Priest – 5/17/2012

[To understand what this blog is, read this first.]

Corinth Cathedral – Apostolic Succession of bishops (Photo credit: © Giorgio)

I recently sat down with my parish priest for another in a long series of discussions, which I’ve recently begun to record.  I wish I had been recording them all along, but better late than never.  We discussed the recent emailing I did with a protestant professor, and the issues of iconography and apostolic succession (among other things).

Listen Now to Conversation – 5/17/2012

Listen Now to Conversation – 5/17/2012

 

A quick update on the subject of icons

[To understand what this blog is, read this first.]

Get this book!

Today I just received a copy of Early Christian Attitudes toward Images by Fr. Dr. Steven Bigham, and man do I wish I would have had that in hand before writing my previous responses to the protestant professor.  That would’ve saved a lot of time.  I’m glad I did the research I did, but just from what I’ve read so far I can see that Dr. Bigham does a great job of taking this information and really going deep with it.  He does a very well rounded take on icons from all sides, archaeological, literary and theological that is way beyond anything I could do on a blog, even if I were qualified.  So, if you are interested in trying to understand icons as a non-Orthodox Christian, or to defend them (or even just to understand the issue better), you definitely need to get that book.  I have also had Imago Dei, by Dr. Jaroslav Pelikan recommended to me, but I haven’t read it personally.  I have many books by Dr. Pelikan and can recommend all the ones I have read, so I don’t doubt that he did a wonderful job on that subject as well, so you might check it out too.