Doors of Perception: Icons and Their Spiritual Significance [Paperback]

John Baggley (Author), Richard Temple (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

This perceptive introduction to icons offers Western Christians an entry - a way in - to understanding some of the significance and spirituality surrounding the great tradition of iconography of the Orthodox Church.

As Fr Baggley says in his introduction, "Icons form a door into the divine realm, a meeting point of divine grace and human need; moreover, they are also a way by which we enter more deeply into our interior life."

The author conveys historical background, biblical language imagery and interpretation, spiritually of the icon painter, the visual language of icons and their environment.

Richard Temple of the Temple Gallery, London, provides an appendix on the paining of icons, together with many of the beautifully reproduced full color plates to accompany the author's commentary in the illustrated section.

The book will be welcomed not only by art lovers but also by all who are interested in understanding more about icons, how and why hey are painted, and what message they sill can convey for us today "about the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

John Baggley, who has traveled widely studying the art of the Orthodox Church, has been a contributor to The Times, is at present Team Rector of the Bicester Team of Parishes in Oxfordshire, and was previously vicar of St Peter's, De Beauvoir Town, Hackney, London.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...probably the best introduction to icons that we have at present." -- Roman Lewicki, J.J. VJTR

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: St Vladimirs Seminary Pr (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881410713
• ISBN-13: 978-0881410716
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,478,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Western Introduction to Eastern Orthodox Icons, February 27, 2001

By 

Volkert Volkersz (Snohomish, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doors of Perception: Icons and Their Spiritual Significance (Paperback)

In his preface John Baggley writes: "It may well seem strange that an Anglican parish priest should write an introductory book on icons. After all, icons are hardly a part of English Christian tradition. The tradition to which icons belong is a complex one, and one that is alien to many Western Christians."

Thus begins a thoroughly researched, well written and sympathetic introduction for Western readers to the icons of the Eastern Orthodox Church. As a matter of fact, this book is so highly regarded by the Orthodox, it has been published in United States by one of our premier Orthodox publishers, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.

"Doors of Perception" is divided into three parts: the main body of Baggley's text covering historical, biblical, spiritual, visual and environmental aspects of iconography; followed by Richard Temple's interesting essay on the painting of icons; and finally a series of seventeen plates, with an informative commentary on each icon. This latter section pretty much follows highlights of the Orthodox liturgical year.

I would recommend this to people from the Western tradition who may be curious about icons and their role in Eastern Orthodox worship, or to people--like me--who, after a life in the Western Christian tradition, have decided to "face East." I would even recommend this to those interested in icons as religious art (although the Orthodox don't view it as such), or to those interested in art history.

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful overview of Christian view of icons, October 28, 2011

By 

S. Smith-Peter (Staten Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doors of Perception: Icons and Their Spiritual Significance (Paperback)

This book provides a Christian take on icons. Many books on icons are written by art historians, who have different view of the subject. Baggley starts with a historical overview that requires quite a bit of background knowledge to fully grasp, then turns to a comparison of three icons with the Bible - the Transfiguration, the Raising of Lazarus and the Descent into Hell - to argue that icons do reflect what is in the Bible. Then comes a chapter on how the Orthodox interpret the Bible allegorically rather than historically. I found this interesting, as being raised Protestant I experienced the kind of Bible study that had timelines, colored maps, and concordances. This isn't too different from academic textual studies today. The Orthodox approach, according to Baggley, is to look at Bible stories as timeless allegories.

The most interesting chapters for me were the ones on "The Spirituality of Icon Painters" and the "Visual Language of Icons." Here the author emphasizes the importance of stillness and attentiveness to Orthodoxy and analyses the visual themes found in icons. Then, after a section on how icons are painted, written by Richard Temple, there are 18 plates of icons with Baggley's commentary placing them in the context of Christian history and theology.

This was the first time I'd read about icons not from an art historical point of view and I found it very interesting. For people without lots of background knowledge on Orthodox history, I'd recommend starting with the chapter on the spirituality of icon painters and go from there, as that provides an excellent introduction even to beginners.