Christology

Images of ChristAdapted from -

Gallery of the Passion. John T. Render, C.P., D.

Min.Founder and Director of the Passionist Research

Center http://www.passionist.org/prc/gallery/index.html

2nd-7th centuryAge of Church CouncilsNicene Creed – 325 AD

St. Bridget Cross

• 500 AD• Cross for ordinary

people who could not afford the precious metal crosses available.

3RD century AD. Tagba, Israel,

by the sea of Galilee – Rock Heart.

For three centuries of Christianity Christians did not use the image of Christ

on the Cross.

Loaves and Fishes

•4th century Church •Tagba, Israel •Near sea of Galilee

Chi-Rho

• 4th/5th century - Wall of SS John and Paul, Rome.

4th or 5th C Chi-Rho

ORANT -- PRAYER 4TH CENTURY - ROME

SS John and Paul Church, an early house Church in Rome.

Greek and Latin version: Shepherd is the caretaker of

the people.

Christ says "I am the Good

Shepherd“, (Jn. 10-10) fulfilling the

promise in Ez. 34.

Emergence of the Cross – 5th or 6th C.

• In combination with the "Ankh“: hieroglyph centering around life or life force.

• Coptic Christian symbol of life after death.

• Key-like shape: represents belief that it could unlock the gates of death.

Earliest Face of Christ

• Shroud of Turin• 5th or 6th Century

Face Not Made by Hands

• Early Church tradition that Christ’s Face existed on the Shroud or the Veil of Veronica.

• Spread across the world in the early Church. 

• The tradition of this Face is obviously from the Shroud ultimately.  Even the slip of hair down the middle of His forehead is repeated through the centuries

Roman Christ

• Face of Christ • Identical to Emperor

Constantine • Mosaic floor in St.

Mary Hinton, England.• Embedded in a great

Constantinian symbol the ‘chi-rho" and has a pomegranate on each side: the symbol of lush salvation.

Oil Lamp

• Sixth and seventh century in the East

• Symbol of Christ as the light of the world.

6th C Ivory Pyx & 7th C Jewelry

11th – 16th Century

Medeival and Scholastic

Majestic Christ8th – 12th Century

Apocalyptic ChristThree fingers joined:

Faith in the Trinity.Two fingers raised:

Church's faith in the

divine and humannature of Christ. Byzantine form of

blessing.

Visigoth

Gold Cypriot reliquary Cross

Greek words "ZOE" and "PHOS" in the form of a cross. Both words use the same "O". "LIFE" and "LIGHT" are the two English words involved.

13th C: Crucifixion on Shield

• This is a Crucifixion scene on a shield.  It was done in gold enamel on copper.  Its purpose is imaged in the soldiers at the foot of the Cross.

Stained Glass Crucifixion

• France - late 12th century.

• 13th century French Church - Christ on the Cross. 

• Sun and moon show the influence of the redemption on all reality.

Medeival Theology of AtonementFocus on Christ’s Passion

13th C Gothic Crucifix

• The head bowed as far as possible

• Eyes closed• Body bent like a bow• One nail through

both feet. 

Christ the King

From Icon to PortraitGod and Man

Born of the Virgin, Mary

St. Francis of Assisi 1182-1226 and the Human Jesus

15th century Flemish artist, Jan van Eyck

• Jewish Christ • “Ihesus via IHS

veritas Ihesus veritas”

• “Jesus the way. Jesus the truth. Jesus the life”.

16th – 20th CenturyDoctrine of the Trinity

The Lord Almighty15th C – 17th C

17th C Trinity

Lamb of God

• 18th Century church

• Old Testament - sign of sacrifice and redemption

• Substituted for Isaac when Abraham would have killed him