Pavel Evdokimov stated in such a meaningful way which presupposes inner path icon. The icon is not simply the reproduction of what is perceived through the senses, but rather assumes, as he says, a "fast of view." Inner perception must free itself from the mere impression of the senses and gain a new prayer and asceticism, deeper ability to see, make the transition from what is merely external to the depth of reality, so that the artist sees what the senses as such do not yet see, and what appears in the sensible: the splendor of the glory of God, the "glory of God in the face of Christ" {2 Cor 4:6). Admiring the icons, and generally the large paintings of Christian art, brings us to an inner way, a way of surpassing oneself and therefore in this purification of the eye, which is a purification of the heart, reveals the beauty, or at least a ray of it. it's right there arises in connection with the power of truth.
I have often stated my belief that to be the true apology of Christian faith, the most convincing demonstration of its truth against every denial, the Saints are on the one hand, on the other hand the beauty that the faith has generated. In order for faith to grow today, we must conduct ourselves and people we encounter to encounter the saints, to come into contact with the beautiful. But now we have yet to meet an objection. We have already rejected the claim that what has been claimed would be a flight into the irrational, into mere aestheticism. Quite the opposite is true: just like the reason is freed from its slumber and made capable of action. Greater weight has now another objection: the message of beauty is completely put in doubt by the power of lies, seduction, violence and evil. Can beauty be true, or, in the end, is but an illusion? The reality is it not basically evil? The fear that the end of the arrow is not looking to lead us to the truth, but falsehood, what is ugly and vulgar constitute the true "reality," the anguished people of all times. In this found expression in the assertion that after Auschwitz would not have been able to do more poetry after Auschwitz would not have been able to speak more of a good God. One question: where was God when he worked the crematoria? Now this objection, for which there were sufficient grounds even before Auschwitz, in all atrocities of history, shall in any case a purely harmonious concept of beauty is not enough. Does not bear comparison with the severity of the questioning of God, truth, beauty. Apollo, which Plato's Socrates was "the God" and the guarantor of unruffled beauty as "the truly divine," absolutely not enough anymore.
In this way we return to the "two horns" of the Bible from which we started, the paradox that Christ can say is "You are the fairest of the sons of men ", and" He had no beauty or ... his face is disfigured by pain. "In the passion of Christ Greek aesthetics, so worthy of admiration for his present contact with the divine, although the remains unspeakable, is not removed, but exceeded. The experience of beauty has been given a new depth, a new realism. One who is Beauty itself is left to hit in the face, spit upon, crowned with thorns - the Shroud of Turin can imagine us all in so touching.
But in this face so disfigured appears genuine, extreme beauty: the beauty of love that comes "to the end" and that in fact this turns out to be stronger than falsehood and violence. People who perceived this beauty knows exactly the truth, not lies, is the last resort of the world. Lying is not the "real", but its the truth. And so to speak a new trick lies presented as "truth" and tell us: In addition to me there is basically nothing, stop seeking the truth or even loving it, by doing so you are on the wrong track. The icon of the crucified Christ frees us from this deception rampant today. However, it poses as a condition that we let ourselves be hurt with him and believed the love that can threaten to depose the external beauty to proclaim, in this way, the truth of beauty.
The lie, however, know another trick: the beauty false, false, a dazzling beauty that does not leave the
men by raising him to open up in ecstasy, but imprisons them entirely into themselves. It's that beauty that awakens nostalgia for the unspeakable, availability, supply, abandonment of self, but rekindles desire, the will to power, possessions, pleasure. It is that kind of experience the beauty of which Genesis speaks in the story of original sin: Eve saw that the tree was "beautiful" to eat and was "pleasing to the eye." The beauty, as well as experience it, awakens in her the desire of possession, as it closes in on itself.
Who would not recognize, for example in advertising, those images that are made with great skill for the man groped to irresistibly steal everything, to seek the satisfaction of the moment rather than be open to something else? So the Christian art is today (and perhaps always already) between two fires: he must oppose the cult of ugliness which tells us anything, all beauty is only deception and the representation of what is cruel, low, vulgar would be the truth and the true light of knowledge. It has to reduce the false beauty that makes a man smaller, rather than make it big and, for this is a lie.
men by raising him to open up in ecstasy, but imprisons them entirely into themselves. It's that beauty that awakens nostalgia for the unspeakable, availability, supply, abandonment of self, but rekindles desire, the will to power, possessions, pleasure. It is that kind of experience the beauty of which Genesis speaks in the story of original sin: Eve saw that the tree was "beautiful" to eat and was "pleasing to the eye." The beauty, as well as experience it, awakens in her the desire of possession, as it closes in on itself.
Who would not recognize, for example in advertising, those images that are made with great skill for the man groped to irresistibly steal everything, to seek the satisfaction of the moment rather than be open to something else? So the Christian art is today (and perhaps always already) between two fires: he must oppose the cult of ugliness which tells us anything, all beauty is only deception and the representation of what is cruel, low, vulgar would be the truth and the true light of knowledge. It has to reduce the false beauty that makes a man smaller, rather than make it big and, for this is a lie.
Who has not known much-quoted phrase of Dostoevsky: "Beauty will save us"? We forget, however, in most cases to remember Dostoevsky here means that the redeeming beauty of Christ. We must learn to see Him. If we know him not only in words but we are struck by the arrow of his paradoxical beauty, then we really know Him and His knowledge not only have heard from others. Then we met with the beauty of truth, the redeeming truth. Nothing can bring more in touch with the beauty of Christ himself that the world of beauty created by faith and the light that shines on the face of the Saints, which becomes visible through its own light.
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