(image), and also its root meaning (cut, engraved, carved).

Therefore seems to be a good one, capturing the literal meaning of pesel

'graven' is a fairly neutral term which means 'drawn', or 'idol' seems unjustified, strictly speaking. Which means 'to cut, hew, or hew into shape' - there is noĬonnotation of idol-making whatsoever, so the interpretation of pesel as Interpretation apparently rests on the grounds of this commandment contextĪlone, so let us consider pesel in more detail. That word means 'image', but is often interpreted as 'idol'. The word 'graven' as his best guess for the real meaning of the original Or that is in the waters under the earth you shall not bow down thyself Likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or is in the earth beneath,

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images, or any It, exactly as you would for any other quotation: Deut 5.8, That commandment - and so it is vital to cite your source when you quote This problem is, inįact, reflected in the number of different translations and renditions of There is a problem with theĪctual meaning and intention of that commandment. Produce images that were not images, paintings that were not paintings,īut there is a knottier problem than this. That is the main problem: the Church had to find a way to To contend with the Second Commandment which apparently forbids 'graven Of ennobling the soul and/or manifesting the divine. It recognizes painting and sculpture as forms of beauty, capable (we'll call it Classical Beauty to emphasis its difference from personal The universe) conflict - something has to be done to reconcile them.Ĭlassicism postulates a channel to and from the divine through beauty (which traces its origin to God, the oldest and most prestigious entity in It means that where Classicism and Christianity One truth cannot conflict with another truth. Today, they were nevertheless true and binding in the Middle Ages.Ĭlassicism also finds that truth is universal. Even if we do not regard the tenets of Classicism as true That is the first importantĬonsideration. Thing has been said to be true, and the more prestigious the originalĪuthor, the more validity it has. Thus Classicism recognizes truth through orthodoxy (that is throughĪncientness, repetition, and pedigree). Mindset when Christianity became legal and widespread, and thereforeĬhristianity was applied through a Classical filter. That the Classical way of thinking was already well established as a Needless to say, they do not agree onīut Classicism was the older system and this has implications. Ultimately spiritual ones, both seek to explain the origin and destiny of Seen as 'true' - Classicism, and Christianity. The problem is a result of the conflict between two systems which were So let's set out some considerations and some But it was a problem nonetheless,Īnd a very serious one. GRAVEN IMAGES Graven Images, Past and Presentįor people today, it can be difficult to see what the problem withĬhristian art is, or ever was.

Graven images today