Letter from the Publisher

"Iconoclasm is not a new fad and it has been with man since the dawn of the Jewish religion, if not before. If then it had antireligious connotations rooted in the Old Testament, it has become today a powerful tool in the hands of anarchists and ideologists..."

The Invisible Made Visible

A brief history and theology of iconoclasm.

Icons and the Iconic

"Of vital importance is that the aim of iconic art—and of all the arts—is to create something transcendent, a reflection of the Creator Himself..." Dante meets iconography in this more literary approach to the use of images. 

Iconoclasm in the American South

A reflection on the narrow-sightedness of modern-day iconoclasm. 

The Iconostasis

"As the history and theology surrounding the condemnation of iconoclasm is already covered in several articles in this issue of The Angelus, this piece will focus more on the structure of the iconostasis itself; its architectural predecessors in Byzantine churches; and the spiritual and theological meaning that has developed around the iconostasis..." 

Christ the Pantocrator

"It’s no wonder that the icon—painted around 300 AD, continues to spark discussion and investigation; it is at once strikingly beautiful, mysterious, and theologically rich..."

Iconoclasm and the Byzantine Empire

"The general argument of the iconophiles was that to reject an image of Christ was to reject the Incarnation. He had come to save man from idolatry, from paganism, and to say that Christians are idolatrous because of images of Christ is to reject in part His message..."

Meditation on St. John’s Gospel—Chapter Four

A continuation of the meditations on St. John's Gospel.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: The Canon—Part Two

"In this article we continue an examination of the Canon of the Mass, presenting the work of Msgr. Nicholas Gihr in his fundamental liturgical commentary The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: Dogmatically, Liturgically, and Ascetically Explained..."

The Brown Scapular: From Habit to Soul

"One day, each of us enrolled in the scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel because we looked to have particular protections from Our Lady, as had been revealed to Saint Simon Stock in an apparition on the 16th of July 1251. Unfortunately, perhaps our devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has become limited to wearing the scapular..."

Belief in the Visible and Invisible

"Every Sunday, when we recite the Creed of the Mass, we proclaim our faith in the Creator of 'all things visible and invisible.' Knowing our limited capacities, God helps us in our struggle to believe..."

Our Lady of Consolation

A brief history of the veneration of Our Lady of Consolation.

Demolishing Thor’s Oak

"...there is no way that one can accurately understand that God’s Creation as a whole is an “icon,” a sacred image, unless every one of its elements is “venerated” in its fitting and proper place in the divine hierarchy of values. This hierarchy of values, before all else, demands recognition of the need for man’s Redemption from sin..."

Passing on the Love of Reading

"'If my children had an appetite for reading...they would acquire a solid foundation; they would no longer go in circles on rainy days; they would no longer become the victims of media propaganda.' Yet how can we inspire children to relish such an activity?"

Questions and Answers

Fr. Iscara answers questions concerning the object of Faith and the obligations of Sunday rest.

Complex Questions & Simple Answers: Part Five

This article continues the series of straightforward responses to frequently-encountered questions and objections concerning the Catholic Faith. The questions and answers are adapted from Professor Felix Otten, O.P. and C.F. Pauwels, O.P.’s The Most Frequently Encountered Difficulties, published originally in Dutch in 1939.

Can Apologetics Stand the Test of Reason Alone?

"St. Augustine once said of the Manicheans that they were 'more eloquent and fuller in their refutation of others, than firm and sure in proof of their own doctrine.' Cajetan experienced the relevance of this remark when he met with Martin Luther in the city of Augsburg from October 12 to 15, 1518, over 500 years ago..."

The Last Word