Wednesdays 12:30-2:30 PM
October 1 through November 19, 2003
D.O.C. House
This course will be an introduction to the spirituality of the icon. We will immerse ourselves in the theology and lore of the Orthodox tradition for eight weeks, studying Byzantine and Russian icons and learning the basics of reading an icon.
We will explore the technique of creating icons and their place in church, art and political history, as well as the theological controversies that arose over their significance and use. We'll learn to identify the major iconographic types, to trace them back to their roots in Scripture and legend and to understand the pictorial and written languages they use.
The format will include slide and video presentations, lecture and discussion. Questions arising from the study might include: the role of icons in contemporary spirituality, the boundaries between superstition and faith, tradition and change, comparisons between eastern and western thinking, and the role of higher consciousness in influencing events.
Texts: The Bible, The Meaning of Icons by Leonid Quspensky and Vladimir Lossky, and supplementary materials.
Class is limited to 20 participants.
Karen Sheldon received her BA and MA in German literature from the University of Michigan. Later Russian studies led to her interest in Russian and Byzantine icons, and she has given numerous talks and workshops about their history and significance. She has been a priest in the Episcopal church since her ordination in 1979, serving parishes in Vermont and New Hampshire.
