Visible Politics of the Invisible. An Iconopolitical Approach to Iconoclastic Controversies

BELGRANO, MATEO

Bonn

Workshop; WORKSHOP ? LITURGY AND THEOLOGY: INSTITUTIONS, MEDIATIONS AND PERFORMANCES IN THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE; 2022

Universität Bonn

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” Yahweh exclaims in the book of Exodus. The indication seems to be quite clear: nothing in creation can serve to constitute an image of God. Let us recall Yahweh’s fury at the making of the golden calf. As Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, the Israelite people implored Aaron to produce “gods” that they could follow (Exodus 32: 1). So, melting down the gold they had, they created the calf and set it up as an altar. Moses had to intercede with God to spare their lives. Along these lines, the Old Testament is replete with passages condemning idolatry. Why did the Church decide at one point in history to accept images as legitimate within temples?