The Illuminating Icon

By Anthony Ugolnik

Book Overview

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable.

"In Christ there is no East or West," claims a familiar hymn. But the truth is that American Christians know little about Russian Orthodox Christians and harbor many misconceptions about them. In this revealing book Anthony Ugolnik shows how the thousand-year-old Russian Orthodox tradition actively shapes the life of contemporary Russian Christians, and he points out how Russian Orthodoxy can inform and enrich American Christianity. Ugolnik speaks from a unique perspective: of Russian descent, he is an American Christian who has a strong and genuine personal bond with Russian Christians.

Ugolnik begins his discussion by exploring the alienation between Russians and Americans - a cultural and religious alienation that is still very strong today, despite changing rhetoric and glasnost. Americans tend to picture Russian Christians as "cowed and ragged masses"; on the contrary, says Ugolnik, they are "a stalwart, strong community." American Christians also tend to be suspicious about the role of icons in Russian Orthodox worship. But Ugolnik points out that icons are not idols; rather, they are religious objects that "image forth" the majesty of God. This powerful sense of the holy that pervades Russian Orthodoxy could reinvigorate American Christianity.

Indeed, the Russian Orthodox have much to offer American Christians, according to Ugolnik. They place a much greater emphasis on community in their life and worship -- an emphasis that could help transform the individualistic faith of many American Christians. Similarly, the Orthodox emphasis on historical and spiritual continuity -- in contrast to the imagery of restoration and revival in Reformation Christianity -- could strengthen the worship and witness of American Christians. And the Orthodox sense of the beautiful -- born of a complex aesthetics that undergirds Russian faith and culture -- could enrich the foundation as well as the expression of American Christianity. In the end, American and Russian Christians share the common dilemma of how to relate to the secular world around them, and the Russian Orthodox emphasis on dialogue and engagement could vitalize the way American Christians live out their faith.

In this multifaceted book Ugolnik weaves personal experiences with richly developed explorations of Russian and American belief and incisive observations that draw on the literature, philosophy, theology, and history of both cultures. With both passion and compassion Ugolnik urges Russian and American Christians to look to "the illuminating icon of our incarnate God" for guidance: "Let that icon draw us deep into the mystery of a shared life in the Spirit."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080284782X
• ISBN13: 9780802847829
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Great Read

Excellent read, helped me to see the Russian Orthodox in a whole new light, as well as shedding light on Orthodoxy as a whole. Well worth adding to your library.

This book helped bring me to Orthodoxy

In the midst of the theological quagmire of the American religious scene, this book stands tall. I read this book as a part of a Modern Theology class in college. I was amazed at its clarity and its directness.Anton Ugolnik is a gifted writer who takes you on a journey through Communist Russia, showing examples of Christians who kept their faith in the midst of overwhelming repression. But he also shows quite well how Orthodoxy "fits" in America. It is a rich book, covering areas as vast as theology, political theory, hermeneutics, and the like. After reading this book, I finally understood the doctrine of the Trinity. It is not a Summa of Orthodox thought, or even Father Ugolnik's Magnum Opus, but it is a true diamond in the rough-- a refreshing break from the soulless theological meanderings that have overridden the Christian thought in America.