Icons, secularism and the Liturgy

Highlighting the diverse artistic expressions used in liturgical art, including icons, the discussion delves into the unique characteristics of Orthodox and Catholic liturgical art, noting the former’s decorative and didactic simplicity, while the latter brings an essential, expansive and transformative artistic diversity.

This exploration delves into the relationship between Catholic art and the sacred. Emphasising the theological significance of aesthetics in liturgical art, it highlights examples from medieval masterpieces which inspire joy and reveal hidden truths beyond the material realm.

Explore the true purpose of liturgical art. Discover how art should reveal Christ’s presence, inspire transcendence, and reignite sacred conversations within the Catholic faith.

Icons are the art of the altar, there for a very specific purpose. Listen in as Matthew Shepherd and Ian Knowles explore how moving beyond naturalistic depictions can deepen your spiritual connection with the divine.

Catholicism 'does' art, but it often seems to find Byantine icons 'alien'. Some short introductory thoughts about why that might be the case.

A recent commission which I finished is an icon entitled Behold I make All Things New . This is an explanation of this new design... enjoy!

What images of Jesus did the first Christians have? How did they depict him? Looking at some fragments of evidence I speculate on what images the first Christians had of Jesus and what he might have looked like... and its not quite as you might think...

The 7th Ecumenical Council wasn't so much about images per se but about Christology and the implications of who Jesus was for the way Christians worshipped. This episode is a bit of a tour de force about the way Christology shaped the early Church and eventually led it to see images as essential in its worship.

Early Christians had seven different words they could choose to describe a sacred image. They chose just one...

Icons belong to the liturgy, but the Catholic and Orthodox forms differ. Trying to find a way for a renewal of iconography is complicated both by these differences but also because of secularisation which affects both communities differently.,,