This is Communio Sanctorum, the history of the Christian Church, season two.

The title of this episode is Heretics, Part 7, imagery.

One of the most interesting moments in church history comes in the

conflict over the use of images and worship. It's born of the reality that Christianity has its

roots in Judaism, but had vast appeal among pagan Gentiles. During the time of the kings of Judah and

Israel, the Jews struggled with their call by God to abstain from idolatry.

Indeed, a premier hallmark of religious revival under what are called the good kings was often marked by a systematic dismantling of idolatry across the land.

King Josiah's campaigned to eradicate idolatry in pagan high places after the reign of his

grandfather Manasha is a prime example. But ultimately these revivals weren't able to stem the tide.

Idols and high places went up as fast as they were torn down. So as warned by God, both Israel and

Judah were carried away into captivity by foreign conquerors.

Carded off to Babylon, which was idolatry central, the Jewish exiles came to loathe idols,

as well as the lament the tendency of their souls to turn to them. Babylon seemed to be a kind of

aversion therapy for the Jews. You want idols? Okay,

have them a plenty. And there in Babylon, Israel was seemingly cured of idolatry. They never again

struggled with it. On the contrary, they returned from exile with an almost allergic reaction to

anything that even hinted at idolatry.

So much so that Jews were regarded as strange by their pagan neighbors, not just because they

believed in a single all-powerful God, but that they utterly refused to give him any kind of imagery

and physical representation. Some pagans wondered if, in fact, Jews were atheists

because of their fierce reduction of the gods and goddesses to a single deity who refused to be

represented by an image. And of course, the early Christians were Jews, who understood their

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