Images and Worship

Tiber Jumper asks an interesting question on his Blog:

Question:
What's the difference between a Protestant and a Catholic?

Answer:
The Protestant puts away his graven images after the holidays are over.


What's my point? Why do Christians put statues of Mary, Jesus, Joseph and the angels around their churches and homes at the Holy Season of Christmas? Because the statues call to mind the people they represent. Do they worship these statues? I don't know, I have often seen Christians standing in front of manger scenes singing Christmas carols at various churches but I don't assume they were worshipping them.

Well, if Tiber doesn’t know if they are worshiping these statues, why bring up the question? The reason is simple. He next cites a portion of the RC catechism in order to support having “graven images” on display and “contemplation of sacred icons, united with meditation on the Word of God and the singing of liturgical hymns, enters into the harmony of the signs of celebration so that the mystery celebrated is imprinted in the heart's memory and is then expressed in the new life of the faithful.”

Is this not an attempt to equate RCisms praying to Mary and the Saints as if that is what Protestants are doing? Are we really going to say that when a Protestant sets up a Christmas display in front of his house or church that that somehow is the same as a RC’s form of worship? Are Protestants really “venerating” anything?

He then says:

“Nothing in the Catechism says Catholics should worship graven images. But it does explain that the Incarnation "changed the economy" so that we are not forbidden to use holy images to bring our hearts heavenward.”

This is a common RC argument for praying to Mary and the Saints. This is something, which Protestants have rejected since the Reformation. To equate the Incarnation of Christ as a unique event in all of history with anything else is nothing short of Blasphemy. Jesus’ incarnation did not all of a sudden change the laws against idolatry. Tiber then makes an argument to deflect this when he says, “The Jewish temple had many statues of heavenly creatures and Moses was told to place a serpent's image on a brazen cross and compel the people to look upon it.”

Here is an example I once heard to help you think through this issue.

What if Moses were to come into a tent and find a man praying to Abraham. Moses says according to the Law you must die. The man responds by saying, that he wasn’t worshiping Abraham but only “venerating” him. Would Moses say, “Oh, ok. Never mind.”?

Let’s say Tiber is correct though. Let’s say Protestants have “moved away from iconoclasm and towards the display of sacred art and images” in their worship. Does that mean they are correct for doing so? There are many Protestants who argue against the use of images on Biblical grounds. Equivocating terms and practices is something the Theological Liberals and Cults do. I am sad to see a conservative religious man, who once professed the faith do the same.

I will close with this. Would Moses allow this prayer to be said? Would the Apostles have prayed this prayer?:

O Mother of Perpetual Help, thou art the dispenser of every grace that God grants us in our misery; it is for this cause that He hath made thee so powerful, so rich, so kind, that thou mightest assist us in our miseries. Thou art the advocate of the most wretched and abandoned sinners, if they but come unto thee; come once more to my assistance, for I commend myself to thee. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation; to thee I entrust my soul. Enroll me among thy most faithful servants; take me under thy protection and it is enough for me: yes, for if thou protect me, I shall fear nothing; not my sins, for thou wilt obtain for me their pardon and remission; not the evil spirits, for thou art mightier than all the powers of hell; not even Jesus, my Judge, for He is appeased by a single prayer from thee. I fear only that through my own negligence I may forget to recommend myself to thee and so I shall be lost. My dear Lady, obtain for me the forgiveness of my sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance and the grace to have recourse to thee at all times, O Mother of Perpetual Help.