Ikonlar ve Idoller

“

The worship of images ... was one of those corruptions of Christianity which crept into the church stealthily and almost without notice or observation. This corruption did not, like other heresies, develop itself at once, for in that case it would have met with decided censure and rebuke: but, making its commencement under a fair disguise, so gradually was one practice after another introduced in connection with it, that the church had become deeply steeped in practical idolatry, not only without any efficient opposition, but almost without any decided remonstrance; and when at length an endeavour was made to root it out, the evil was found too deeply fixed to admit of removal.... It must be traced to the idolatrous tendency of the human heart, and its propensity to serve the creature more than the Creator....

“Tasvirlere tapınma... kiliseye fark ettirmeden, sinsice girmiş olan ve Hıristiyanlığı bozan unsurlardan biridir... Bu unsurla birlikte başka uygulamalar da ard arda başlatılmış, böylece kilise derin ve pratik putperestliğe kapılıp gitmiştir. Ne yazık ki bu akıma pek karşı çıkan olmamıştır. Kiliseyi bundan temizleme girişimine rağmen sorunun ne denli derin ve sabit olduğu görülüp vazgeçilmiştir. ”—

The Seventh General Council, the Second of Nicaea in which the Worship of Images was Established in 787 BC, 1850

Joseph Mendham,