How do you paint Christ as fully human and fully God? The National Gallery reveals the visual language of signs and symbols known as iconography.
Duration: 6:14
Sister Wendy shows how to find the story in an artwork.
Duration: 3:59
Video - Trinity explained in 3 minutes (duration 3:55)
Video - a comprehensive explanation by Mr McMillan (Duration: 5:06)
Great Schism
In the year 1054 a major split occurred in Christianity. The churches in Western Europe, under the authority of the pope at Rome, separated from the churches in the Eastern Roman (or Byzantine) Empire, under the authority of the patriarch (bishop) of Constantinople. The churches of the Eastern Empire have come to be known by the collective term Eastern Orthodoxy.
Icons
Controversy over the use of icons led to the movement called iconoclasm (image breaking). This in turn paved the way for the final split between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches (1054AD, The Great Schism).
Iconoclasts argued that the use of icons by such leaders as Heraclius was a pagan rather than Christian ritual. Religious art, they claimed, should be only of abstract symbols, plants, or animals. They believed that the growing power of the Arabs was due to the Byzantine sin of icon worship.
Opponents to iconoclasm, led by the monks, were called iconophiles. In 726 Emperor Leo III issued the first of many laws against the use of icons. This ushered in the Iconoclastic Controversy, which lasted until 843. In 731, the Roman pope, Gregory III, countered the uprising with a threat to expel the iconoclasts from the Catholic church.
It was Empress Irene who brought the Iconoclastic Controversy to an end by restoring the use of images in the Eastern Orthodox church.
(Find out more: Britannica article)
Renaissance
The word renaissance means “rebirth.” It refers to the rediscovery by scholars (called humanists) of the classical writings—those of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In fact, however, the Renaissance was a period of discovery in many fields—of new scientific laws, new forms of art and literature, new religious and political ideas, and new lands, including America.
(Source: Britannica article 'Renaissance')
Reformation
A religious movement known as the Reformation swept through Europe in the 1500s. Its leaders disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church on certain religious issues and criticized the church’s great power and wealth. They broke away from the Catholic church and founded various Protestant churches. Today Protestantism is one of the three major branches of Christianity. As the Reformation spread across Europe, it also inspired movements for political and social change.
(Source: Britannica article 'Reformation')
Vatican II
Sessions of Vatican II were held in four successive autumns from 1962 to 1965. The most immediate result of Vatican II was the revision of the liturgy, which included changing the language of the liturgy from Latin to the languages of the people. Another prominent outcome was increased openness to other religions and denominations and cooperation with them.
(Source: Britannica article 'Vatican Councils')
Key verses about the trinity
NOTE - the word 'trinity' is not found in the Bible. It is a technical word to describe the unique nature of God.
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Video - What is the catechism? (Duration 2:55)
