Have you seen the beautiful icons of the early centuries of Christianity? They exist up to this day in Eastern Orthodox churches. They are two-dimensional images deliberately distorted to represent spiritual realities (i.e., the tiny lips represent sobriety).

They can be used as a focus of concentration to actually break through the physical veil, see into the heaven worlds, and contact the realities depicted. The Orthodox call them “Windows to Heaven”. If a believer focuses on the icon of a saint, for example, he will develop a type of a psychic bond through which the virtues of the saint will enter his soul by means of a spiritual osmosis. Continued practice will lead the practitioner to express those same virtues and eventually develop Christ-likeness. Although many practices of the Church have the same end, the Orthodox all have icons in their homes.

Eastern Orthodoxy likens humanity to a collective icon: the icon of humanity, which pictures God. Each individual, made in the “image of God”, is a mosaic in the great icon of humanity.

However, each mosaic is holographic–although individual, it also contains the essence of all the other pieces. What an individual is, or does, affects the whole.

Also, it is not limited to location, but is universal. All human beings are children of God; they are each a mosaic and cannot be destroyed or cease to exist. From its inception, Christianity has held a very radical world view which transcends nation, race, and culture.

The icon of humanity is not limited in time, but stretches both backward and forward in time. It is not limited to the temporal world, but includes the spiritual worlds as well. That is what enables the believer to contact a saint who has gone before. The two can commune as well, or better, than if they were both on Earth. Each mosaic can help another, but by doing so, the entire icon increases in beauty, clarity, and brilliance.

The icon of humanity is not static, but is constantly in motion, changing as its parts do. The icon of humanity is alive, being composed of humanity, past, present, and future.

Eventually, from within humanity will shine the glory of the Creator, who will be One with all. Further development will continue beyond that. Human beings can be assured they are a part of a wonderful destiny.

This is a point of view not usually promulgated in Western churches. VFR readers should know it exists as a part of the Christian tradition and was the dominant world view in the early centuries. Does this perception of humanity support the thesis of Eric Voegelin? I am not familiar with Voegelin’s writings.

Frankly in the past I have not had much of a feel for Eastern Orthodox images. They have struck me as strange and off-putting. There’s a Byzantine show at the Metropolitan Museum right now that I was thinking of skipping, but Mr. Raymond inspires me to give it a try. Or should I say another try, since there was a big Byzantine show at the Met about a year ago that left with me with feeling which I’m sure is an expression of some lack within myself, that East is East(ern Christianity) and West is West(ern Christianity), and never the twain shall meet.

Speaking of Voegelin, does anyone know of a good book about his work?

There are many books explicating Voegelin’s work. I got a lot out of The Voegelinian Revolution, by Ellis Sandoz.

I understand the culture shock referred to by Mr. Auster. Being brought up as an evangelical Protestant, the first time I attended a Greek Orthodox service chanted in ancient Greek, I kept tapping my watch and wondering what century I was in.

Now it is very refreshing to leave the faddish, nihilistic culture of my country and connect to a community of Christians who have experienced the exact same spiritual reality since the Apostle Paul founded churches in Corinth, Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Colossae.

Of course Eastern and Western Christianity meet.. historically they were one for a thousand years. And today, as always, they meet in Christ.

Analogy is a key to experiencing a different reality. Through the Gospels, Christ often told parables and said, “The kingdom of Heaven is like…”

Mr. Auster, enjoy the exhibit at the Met!

I’m not a complete beginner when it comes to the Orthodox form of service. I’ve attended several-hours long services—most of the time standing up—at a small church in New York City that is in communion with Rome but observes the Eastern rite.