Iconolatry is the worship of religious symbols or icons.In Christianity iconolatry refers to the worship or adoration of the images of sacred personages connected with the Christian religion, as images intended to represent angels, the Virgin Mary, saints, martyrs, etc. Iconolatry must not be confounded with idolatry, which worships objects as being themselves divine or possessing supernatural power.
The worship or adoration of images was not common in the church for several centuries after Christ, and in its earlier stages it excited strong feelings, especially in the Eastern section of the church, as illustrated by the rise of the Iconoclasts. The second council of Nicasa taught that images were to be retained, but that they were not to be objects of adoration in the strict sense, though it was right to salute, honour, and venerate them, and to burn lights and incense before them. This decree was rejected by Charlemagne and by a council at Frankfort in 794, but the practice of image-worship finally established itself in the West. Roman Catholics maintain that the cultus of images is 'relative,' and that they are not in themselves really adored or honoured, 'but that all adoration and veneration is referred to the prototypes, in as much as images have no dignity or excellence to which such honour properly appertains.' Research Iconolatry
Idolatry is the worship of idols, that is is the worship of an image, object, or symbol as having in itself some divine or supernatural power, and being able in some way to respond to the worship paid to it, such images or objects being called idols; or the adoration of something merely natural as something supernatural and divine. Many have regarded idolatry as a declension from 'the one true god', and have seen in the various forms of non-christian belief only more or less complete degradations of an original revelation. Others see in idolatry an innate searching after god, and regard it as the first stage of human development, the necessary beginning of a knowledge of god. Idolatry may assume various forms; it may consist in a worship of the powers of nature, or of the heavenly bodies, or in animal worship, or in the worship of images representing mere fanciful and imaginary deities, or in the still lower fetichism. Research Idolatry
Aaron was a Jewish patriarch and the brother and assistant of Moses. Together with Moses he led the Israelites out of Egypt, and became the first Jewish high priest. Aaron was of the tribe of Levi. At Sinai, when the people became impatient at the long-continued absence of Moses, he complied with their request in making a golden calf, and thus became involved with them in the guilt of gross idolatry. The office of high-priest, which he first filled, was made hereditary in his family. He died at Mount Hor, allegedly at the age of 123, and was succeeded by his son Eleazar. Research Aaron
Hezeki'ah was the twelfth, and one of the best of the kings of Judah. He succeeded Ahaz about 717 BC and died about 698 BC. He repressed idolatry, fought successfully against the Philistines, and hoped to become entirely independent of Assyria, but had his fenced cities captured, and was mulcted in a large tribute. About this time Hezekiah had a serious illness from which he miraculously recovered, and celebrated his fresh lease of life in a thanksgiving, preserved in Isaiah xxxviii. Among the ambassadors who came with letters and gifts to congratulate him on his recovery was the viceroy of Babylon, to whom he displayed the royal treasures. For this he received a terrible rebuke, and he was told by Isaiah that from Babylon would come the ruin and captivity of Judah. The greater part of the Scripture records bearing on the reign of Hezekiah is occupied by the two invasions of Sennacherib, and the sudden destruction of the Assyrian army. Hezekiah did not long survive this deliverance. Research Hezekiah
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Iconolatry
