I recently walked around a most holy site in the Middle East. It was architecturally stunning and a dominant part of the skyline. At one point I paused and looked very closely at some detailed craftsmanship. It was an intricate piece of carved marble. I discovered I could enjoy it and appreciate it without understanding what it represented at a micro level. The particular faith expressed there seeks not to create an image of their God, yet it was clear to me that someone had brought their best efforts to make the whole environment an expression of worship, a homage to a transcendent higher power.
Not infrequently I visit Chester Cathedral and there I tend to focus on stained glass windows. It is amazing how a person can take a pile of coloured glass and some lead and create a beautiful picture. Some of the windows are easy to work out, Jesus as a baby, Jesus healing someone or Jesus on the cross. Others are less easy. The window known as the Millenium Window depicts the hand of God moving through the six days of creation. It does take a bit of working out, it takes time to get into it. Nonetheless the window is a reminder of the transcendence of God with an outline of a hand across the panels.
Thinking about these two experiences and how different the religions they represent are, I am struck by how they both put great effort into creatively hiding or revealing their God.
By looking at it I was almost taken into the marble which is a stone so smooth and enduring it almost cries out to be touched. Marble is used for statues and monuments because it lasts and like most things that last it takes time to form and it is hard to work into a shape. But where I saw it it was never to create an image.
In the experience of meditating on the stained window of creation I am reminded that the creator of the universe is colourful, shapeful, and imaginative yet transcendent. The window doesn’t say touch me, it says join me with your imagination.
So both these religious expressions put great effort into honouring and worshipping their God, one group do so without depicting their God with images which imprint on the imagination. The other group are at pains to honour and worship their God with depictions of their God using images that fire up the imagination.
I do find it helpful that in Jesus I have an image of a human connection with the transcendent God. I wonder what image is on your mind when you think of God?
Rob Wykes 