Jesus Christ, Sun of God
Jesus Christ, Sun of God

Author: David Fideler

Publisher: Quest Books

Published: 1993-10-01

Total Pages: 452

ISBN-13: 9780835606967

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The early Christian Gnosis did not spring up in isolation, but drew upon earlier sources. In this book, many of these sources are revealed for the first time. Special emphasis is placed on the Hellenistic doctrine of the "Solar Logos" and the early Christian symbolism which depicted Christ as the Spiritual Sun, the illumination source of order, harmony, and spiritual insight. Based on 15 years of research, this is a unique book which throws a penetrating light on the secret traditions of early Christianity. It clearly demonstrates that number is at the heart of being. Jesus Christ, Sun of God, illustrates how the Christian symbolism of the Spiritual Sun is derived from numerical symbolism of the "ancient divinities."

Signs and Mysteries
Signs and Mysteries

Author: Mike Aquilina

Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor

Published: 2008-08-04

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 1592767745

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Imagine the dangerous life of an early Christian. You've embraced your newfound faith in Christ but fear the risk of persecution or death at the hands of the pagans living around you. Then a trusted friend tells you about some of Jesus' followers who secretly meet. He whispers into your ear, "Look for a fish carved in a paving stone" by a certain home on the Via Tiburtina. You smile in gratitude. Still today, modern society recognizes those Christian symbols that kept the early Christians safely connected: they appear on churches, bumper stickers, mugs -- even mints and stuffed animals. Yet we are often ignorant of the rich meaning of these symbols: their origins in Scripture, in ancient culture, and in the preaching of the Church Fathers. In this book, noted author Mike Aquilina conducts an intriguing and insightful tour of the symbols that expressed the life and devotion of the Church through the first four centuries of its existence. He explains how Christians freely borrowed pagan and Jewish symbols, giving them new, distinctly Christian meanings. Recover the zeal of our spiritual ancestors as you learn to read their symbolic language -- and discover the impact the symbols still have on your life today. More than a hundred illustrations, reproduced by artist Lea Marie Ravotti from the ancient originals, beautifully complement the text. View a mulitmedia presentation and listen to an interview of the author here.

Baptismal Imagery in Early Christianity
Baptismal Imagery in Early Christianity

Author: Robin M. Jensen

Publisher: Baker Books

Published: 2012-06-01

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1441236279

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What can we learn from early Christian imagery about the theological meaning of baptism? Robin Jensen, a leading scholar of early Christian art and worship, examines multiple dimensions of the early Christian baptismal rite. She explores five models for understanding baptism--as cleansing from sin, sickness, and Satan; as incorporation into the community; as sanctifying and illuminative; as death and regeneration; and as the beginning of the new creation--showing how visual images, poetic language, architectural space, and symbolic actions signify and convey the theological meaning of this ritual practice. Considering image and action together, Jensen offers a holistic and integrated understanding of the power of baptism. The book is illustrated with photos.

Understanding Early Christian Art
Understanding Early Christian Art

Author: Robin M. Jensen

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-04-15

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1135951772

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Understanding Early Christian Art is designed for students of both religion and of art history. It makes the critical tools of art historians accessible to students of religion, to help them understand better the visual representations of Christianity. It will also aid art historians in comprehending the complex theology, history and context of Christian art. This interdisciplinary and boundary-breaking approach will enable students in several fields to further their understanding and knowledge of the art of the early Christian era. Understanding Early Christian Art contains over fifty images with parallel text.

Signs & Symbols in Christian Art
Signs & Symbols in Christian Art

Author: George Ferguson

Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press

Published: 1959

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 9780195014327

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Examines the use and meaning of Christian symbols found in Renaissance art.

Symbolic Blackness and Ethnic Difference in Early Christian Literature
Symbolic Blackness and Ethnic Difference in Early Christian Literature

Author: Gay L Byron

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2003-10-04

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 1134544006

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How were early Christians influenced by contemporary assumptions about ethnic and colour differences? Why were early Christian writers so attracted to the subject of Blacks, Egyptians, and Ethiopians? Looking at the neglected issue of race brings valuable new perspectives to the study of the ancient world; now Gay Byron's exciting work is the first to survey and theorise Blacks, Egyptians and Ethiopians in Christian antiquity. By combining innovative theory and methodology with a detailed survey of early Christian writings, Byron shows how perceptions about ethnic and color differences influenced the discursive strategies of ancient Christian authors. She demonstrates convincingly that, in spite of the contention that Christianity was to extend to all peoples, certain groups of Christians were marginalized and rendered invisible and silent. Original and pioneering, this book will inspire discussion at every level, encouraging a broader and more sophisticated understanding of early Christianity for scholars and students alike.

Christian Symbol and Ritual
Christian Symbol and Ritual

Author: Bernard Cooke

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2005-09-08

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 0190288507

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In Christian Symbol and Ritual, Bernard Cooke and Gary Macy offer an accessible and engaging introduction to the topic written from a non-denominational perspective. Cooke and Macy demonstrate that celebration, ritual, and symbol are already central to our lives, even though most do not see their actions as symbolic or ritualistic. They connect central Christian symbols to the symbols and rituals already present in everyday life and place Christian theology in a familiar context. After discussing the characteristics and functions of rituals, they explore different kinds of ritual, including those of friendship, worship, and healing. The authors also examine such questions as how rituals establish and maintain power relationships, how "official" rituals are different from "popular" Christian rituals and devotions, and how Christian rituals function in the process of human salvation. Christian Symbol and Ritual is an invaluable resource for students, teachers, and lay readers.

Living Water
Living Water

Author: Robin Jensen

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2010-11-19

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 9004189084

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This general survey of early Christian baptismal iconography and architecture integrates visual depictions and physical settings of baptism with textual evidence for its practice and purpose. An opening overview of pictorial art (paintings, relief sculpture, mosaics, and ivories) prompts questions about components of the actual ritual which are treated in the literary sources. The study’s second half considers selected baptismal structures, examining the symbolism, purpose, and possible meaning of their spatial design and decorative programs. In most instances the synthesis of documentary and material evidence is enriching and complementary. However, even when physical and textual data diverge, their discontinuity demonstrates the variability of ritual performance and the perennial distinction between ideal and actual practice..

Right and Left in Early Christian and Medieval Art
Right and Left in Early Christian and Medieval Art

Author: Robert Couzin

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2021-03-01

Total Pages: 327

ISBN-13: 9004448713

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Robert Couzin’s Right and Left in Early Christian and Medieval Art provides the first in-depth study of handedness, position, and direction in the visual culture of Europe and Byzantium from the fourth to the fourteenth century.