1 comments about The Substance Of Things Seen: Art, Faith, And The Christian Community (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies).

1. Jensen's brief volume is in many ways a wonderful entry into the dialogue on the visual arts. She is clearly familiar with the popular debates, whether it be the nature of "Christian art," iconography, or interaction with secular artistry. The overview of these vital issues is done with a scholarly touch; I think especially of her interaction with catacombs archaeology.
   
   Who benefits from this book? Having used it with a church's book club, I found well-educated Christians benefiting from it. A few, those who hadn't been exposed to many of these theological-artistic issues before, struggled to synthesize it.
   
   Jensen's readability is a bit deceptive, much like reading the gospel of John. Where THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS SEEN and John's gospel diverge, however, is in content. The uniqueness of the incarnate Word, so prevalent in scripture, is exchanged by Jensen for an exacerbated natural theology. "The notion that theological insight can come through an artist's creative expression," Jensen claims, "is justified at the very center of our confession of faith" (12). In other words, she sees God sending his only begotten son into the world as permission to "materialize" God at the artist's will. God can be seen through nature and our creativity, supposedly because God once walked among us in human flesh. This aberrant epistemology may be useful for giving art a latent power, but it undercuts the action of God in his special revelation.
   
   Under this operating system, Jensen is able to unpack her values. Sacred and secular art is immensely valuable, holding the possibility of beauty and prophetic critique. Icons are justifiable through and through. There is no way for the Church to judge an art piece's merit. There is no such thing as an idol, only an idolatrous attitude. And as a crown: the visual media become as important as the preached word. And how apparent this becomes: helpful pictures abound in the book; use of scripture does not.
   
   As fundamentally flawed as the book should appear to Evangelical and/or Reformed audiences, it is not without merit. Jensen's pensive journey through the uses of art through painting and architecture is informative. I found many worthwhile ideas that, at the very least, prompted fresh thought. For those grappling with the art question and hoping to take it past the surface debate, a selective reading is worthwhile. For the rest, classics by F. Schaeffer (Sr. and Jr.) or Veith or Ryken may be the better starting point.

No comments about A Complex Delight: The Secularization of the Breast, 1350-1750.

5 comments about The Holy Bible: Illuminated Family Edition.

1. The illustrations are beautiful, and I like the St. James version, but the paper is thin and book is not as sturdy as I would have liked. Would be good for everyday use and then replaced when worn out. Not one I would keep as a family "treasure".



2. It's great ! It helped me to improve of my life, and make it more meaningful !



3. This beautiful bible is jam-packed with art taken from Renaissance bookmaking (mainly the Urbino Bible), and it is printed on heavy, glossy paper with rich, high-quality ink. The translation is that of the King James Version.
   
   This bible exceeded my expectations and is probably one of the most beautiful family bibles on the market at a very reasonable price. Five stars.



4. I received this as a Christmas present (thank you!!!) and have fallen in love with it. I cannot add much to the reviews below--it really is a beautiful and well-made Bible. It is far above your "typical" family bible. The cover, pictures, and overall style are much better. The pages also are a "slick" type that will not yellow in a years time. Read through the reviews below. I cannot say much more.



5. We bought the Book,
   
   This is an Evangelical Bible, (which means it doesnt have
   some books that the Catholic Bible has, but it still is recognized)
   
   First, it is very well designed,
   and the illustrations are extremely good (to me).
   
   Second, If you like design (old Style Design), I think you would
   have a great time reading and enjoying this Book.
   
   I gave this book to the Father of my Wife and hope to buy another one
   for my Son too.
   Nothing left to say but to Enjoy! :)

3 comments about The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art (Princeton Paperbacks).

1. Mathews is primarily concerned to refute a particular early 20th-Century German and Eastern European ideological theory that the portrayal of Jesus in art was derived directly from the detailed portrayal of Roman emperors in art and that this artistic portrayal of Jesus as emperor legitimates imperial political structure, with an emperor, in the contemporary era (of 1920-1950).
   
   Mathews shows that the early artistic portrayal of Jesus presented him as a counter-Jupiter and all-ruler (pantokrator), not as a worldly emperor (kosmocrator). Jesus was also portrayed in early Christian art as androgynous and as the most powerful magician, and as a philosopher. The portrayal of Jesus in art consciously and deliberately presented him as anti-emperor.
   
   Sometimes Mathews confusingly asserts that the way Jesus was portrayed had absolutely nothing to do with the emperor, but in other chapters, originally published as separate articles, he asserts that Jesus was portrayed consciously and deliberately as a non-emperor. Mathews' extremist manner of expression and apparent self-contradiction reveals his succumbing to political fear of 20th-Century re-institution of emperors, resulting in a polemical mode of expression, which lacks precision. Mathews' overweening concern to refute an early 20th-Century political theory causes him to misstate or inconsistently describe his theory about how Jesus was portrayed and what the portrayals meant in the first few centuries.
   
   He ought to strike most of his invective against the very specific, quirky, and particular early 20th-century theory of artistic derivation that he confusingly labels with the ambiguous term "the emperor mystique", and instead explain consistently his positive position about how the Jesus figure did relate to or refute the figure of the emperor -- and, more to the point, how the Christ religion overall was artistically portrayed in relation to how the Roman imperial system of Pax Romana was artistically portrayed.
   
   Mathews ought to engage with the latest theories of Roman imperial theology/ideology, starting with the work of S.R.F. Price, and contribute directly to that effort, rather than devoting so much coverage to a particular 1930s-era view. That's the hardest aspect of reading this book: today's reader comes to it expecting commentary on Price and Horsley, but instead, finds a concern that seems to affirm most of Price and Horsley while being positioned as somehow "against the Emperor Mystique".
   
   This book is dissonant and confusing polemics until you figure out how to harmonize it with the sensible views of Price and Horsley. By the phrase 'the Emperor Mystique', Mathews doesn't have Price and Horsley's view in mind as one naturally expects these days, but rather, a particular quirky, specific theory of artistic-elements derivation of Jesus' portrayal, a theory that was in service of 20th-Century pro-emperor politics.
   
   No scholars are currently asserting that the artistic portrayal of Jesus is directly derived from the portrayal of emperors in their "purely political" function. Rather, what Price, Horsley, and N.T. Wright are stressing these days is that the New Testament books were highly intent on presenting a rebuttal and sociopolitical alternative to the religiously legitimated political ideology and imperial theology of Pax Romana and Roman imperial Ruler Cult -- a view that is supported by Mathews' Christ Pantokrator (almighty all-ruler), magician, and personally caring philosopher.
   
   The book presents a somewhat useful picture of Jesus as philosopher, counter-Jupiter, and healer-magician, but unfortunately that clarification is tangled up with confusing polemics in a self-contradictory, overheated manner of expression, all the more confusing because you get that battle (tilting against a long-dead windmill of 1930s German politics) where you expect instead an engagement with more recent scholarship clarifying the relationship of Christianity and the late-antique Roman empire.
   
   As a rebuttal to the particular artistic-derivation theory of Grabar, the book succeeds, but it doesn't engage with the more general, recent, systematic studies of Christianity as rebuttal and alternative to the system of the Roman empire.



2. While Mathews has crafted an thorough polemic against what he calls the "Emperor Mystique" prevalent as a key hermenuetic of early christian art, he stimulated me to go beyond the declared intent of his thoughtful book. The author opens the door to the polyvalence of the symbolism of the art of the church, particularly from the third through the sixth centuries. Mathews presents the adaptation of Greco-Roman art forms and their translation into the competitive contexts of christian origins. While I was persuaded that Alfoldi and Grabar probably went too far in their attempt to link the art of the church with an exclusively imperial model, I still believe that many christians would have recognized elements of this model in viewing the paintings and mosaics of the church. Religious symbolism can function in multiple ways, both singly and in combinations depending on various religious, political, social, and economic agenda. This book is a useful complement to Averil Cameron's "Christianity and the Rhetoric of Empire."



3. This is a bold and clear reinterpretation of Early Christian Art. It moves the reader through a cany reseeing that respects and illuminates both the message and the people who received it. Mathews explains in an open and well documented way how Christian images fought and defeated the pagan gods. As an art historian trained with the rather confusing cannon of earlier scholarship I found it delightful reading.

4 comments about The Hours of Catherine of Cleves.

1. I am a re-creator of medieval illuminations for modern use. This reference contains some very interesting illustrations in the borders, scenes of people working, and charming little references to tools and such. I'm enjoying this book as a source of inspiration for my artwork.



2. considering this small book is printed at the orignal scale, the details are astonishing. the printing quality delievers the art work right to your hands. it is a superb full color reproduction. the introdution is an indepth study of the history of the two original copies and the process of reconstruction of the book. the related history, manuscript making of the time are well studied.
   
   however, the published book does not translate the Latin text in to any language i can understand. but, i guess, the text is just explaining what the picture is, which the editor always gave a longer explaination paragraph for every picture in the book, in modern eyes.
   
   this is one of the best reproduced manuscript available today.



3. One doesn't need to be Christian to fall in love with this book. Each tiny painting is rich in detail and imagination. There is not one careless or unnecessary brushstroke. The artists who produced this work did the very best in their power and each image glows with their intention. There is a wonderful awkwardness in many of the human figures, but the natural and imaginal worlds are depicted with loving fidelity. This is religious art that stands with miniatures from India and Persia as some of the greatest art ever created for an intimate scale.



4. First published in 1966, The Hours Of Catherine Of Cleves is a wonderfully beautiful work that reproduces a fifteenth-century illuminated manuscript featuring unforgettably beautiful Bible illustrations of scenes from the Old and New testaments. These artworks were originally created for Catherine of Cleves on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Guelders. Each page of this splendidly illustrated book is accompanied by the commentary of John Plummer, who offers insight and a descriptive vibrancy to the splendor of the illustrations. A treasure to read, view, and absorb, The Hours Of Catherine Of Cleves is recommended for Christian Studies and Christian Art History collections.

1 comments about Angels: Messengers of the Gods (Art and Imagination).

1. In this book, Peter L. Wilson explores the meaning of angels in ancient Egyptian and Greek thought and in traditional Jewish, Christian, and Muslim spirituality. Interspersed with photos and color plates throughout, this book is a visually engaging introduction to the topic. Juxtaposing parallels from different traditions, he shows the several "jobs" angels can have (dispenser of grace, warrior against evil, guardian of souls, etc.). Wilson writes with the perspective of three millennia, and so the discussion has an intelligence, a depth, and a complexity often conspicuously absent in current writings on angels. This is a fascinating and stimulating introduction to the history and philosophical speculation behind the idea of angels.

No comments about Christian Art: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions).

No comments about Raise the Banners High! Making and Using Processional Banners.

1 comments about The Lindisfarne Gospels.

1. The scope of this book is best described by the chapter titles: 1) Lindisfarne and Saint Cuthbert 2) The men who made the manuscript 3) The text of the Gospels 4) The script 5) How the manuscript was made 6) The great decorated pages 7) The smaller initials 8) Some comparisons (with contemporary works) 9) The later history of the manuscript

   The text is lively, including, for example, an old riddle describing the wax table used for sketches. The Anglo-Saxom instruments used in illuminations are shown in a photograph; you aren't expected to have detailed knowledge of medieval tools. The color plates of the Gospels are magnificant. The art shown for comparison includes not only other manuscripts but metalwork etc.

   This book is not only an introduction to the Lindisfarne Gospels but is a good starting point for illuminated manuscripts in general.

2 comments about A Handbook of Symbols in Christian Art.

1. As stated, this is a handbook, therefore the format is easy to read and gives you the basic information. If something then strikes your fancy you can then do further research based upon this excellent starting reference point. If you have very little religious background this will help you understand Christianity in Art. Even Christians will find the book informative and full of things that they did not know. For example, did you know that the number 1000 represents eternity? The handbook is layed out alphabetically, beginning with angels and ending with zodiac, all for your convenience. My only complaint is that the art depicted is small, in black and white and therefore does not show the details of the pieces of art. A good book for anyone interested in art, specifically Christian Art. The explanations of the symbolism is very good, it tells you just enough.



2. This book is very informative and interesting. It is laid out in an easy to read way and is a great reference book for anyone who loves art. I would definitely suggest this book to anyone who has ever looked at Christian art and wondered what exactly does it mean.