From Idols to Icons - (Christianity in Late Antiquity) by Robin M Jensen (Hardcover)

About the Book

"From Idols to Icons tells the fascinating history of the dramatic shift in Christian attitudes toward sacred images from the third through the early seventh century. From attacks on the cult images of polytheism to the emergence of Christian narrative iconography to the appearance of portrait type representations of holy figures, this book examines the primary theological critiques as well as defenses of holy images in light of the surviving material evidence for early Christian visual art. Against the assumption that fourth- and fifth-century Christians simply forgot or ignored their predecessors' censure and reverted to more alluring pagan practices, Robin M. Jensen contends that each stage of this profound change was uniquely Christian. Through a careful consideration of the cult of saints' remains, devotional portraits, and pilgrimage to sacred sites, Jensen shows how the Christian devotion to holy images came to be rooted in their evolving conviction that the divinity was accessible in and through visible objects. Even the briefest glance at a museum's holdings or an introductory textbook demonstrates how profoundly influential this belief would be on the course of Western art for the next fifteen hundred years"--

Book Synopsis

Even the briefest glance at an art museum's holdings or an introductory history textbook demonstrates the profound influence of Christian images and art. From Idols to Icons tells the fascinating history of the dramatic shift in Christian attitudes toward sacred images from the third through the early seventh century. From attacks on the cult images of polytheism to the emergence of Christian narrative iconography to the appearance of portrait-type representations of holy figures, this book examines the primary theological critiques and defenses of holy images in light of the surviving material evidence for early Christian visual art. Against the previous assumption that fourth- and fifth-century Christians simply forgot or ignored their predecessors' censure and reverted to more alluring pagan practices, Robin M. Jensen contends that each stage of this profound change was uniquely Christian. Through a careful consideration of the cults of saints' remains, devotional portraits, and pilgrimages to sacred sites, Jensen shows how the Christian devotion to holy images came to be rooted in their evolving conviction that the divine was accessible in and through visible objects.

From the Back Cover

"From Idols to Icons is a sweeping work that tackles diverse aspects of image worship, including theological issues, the perception of the senses, and the various meanings of viewing. The question, in Robin Jensen's view, is not really about whether images were acceptable or powerful but about whose images were to be tolerated. The result is an original and well-documented study that brings together the views of Christian and non-Christian authors, apologists, philosophers, and sophists as well."--Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony, Martin Buber Professor of Comparative Religion, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

"This book is set to be a standard work in Christian art history, theological aesthetics, and the cultural history of late antiquity. A rarity in the field, Jensen's account is attentive to both the material culture that is early Christian art and the theological lenses through which it was and is understood. A masterful achievement." --Christopher Beeley, Jack and Barbara Bovender Professor of Theology, Duke University

Review Quotes

"Jensen expertly uses images and tests to question traditional understandings of Christians' attitudes toward depictions of the Divine and illuminates the complexity of the intertwined issues of the art, idolatry, and violence justified by both polytheists and Christians."-- "Anglican and Episcopal History"

"In this fine book, art historian and scholar of early Christianity Robin M. Jensen explores, in eight richly illustrated chapters, the development of Christian sacral art as well as learned discourse about it, over the course of the first six centuries of the churches."
-- "The Thomist"

"The book stands out for its clarity and for providing a very useful and thought-provoking synthesis on much debated topics."-- "The Catholic Historical Review"

"This richly illustrated and subtly argued account...commends itself, and the author's commitment to, and, indeed, affection for, her subject illuminates the text as it does the images."-- "Reading Religion"

"Elegantly designed and replete with full-color illustrations (many photographs by the author), From Idols to Icons...will ignite scholarly dialogue beyond traditional disciplinary categories and methodologies into the foreseeable future."-- "CHOICE"

About the Author

Robin M. Jensen is Patrick O'Brien Professor of Theology and Fellow at the Medieval Institute and the Nanovic Institute, University of Notre Dame.