Over the centuries, European debate about the nature and status of images of God and sacred figures has upset the established order. Out of this debate, an identifiable doctrine has emerged of the image in general and of the divine image in particular. This work concentrates on these historical arguments, from the period of Late Antiquity up to the great and classic defences of images by St John of Damascus and Theodore of Studion. "Icon" extends beyond the immediate concerns of religion, philosophy, aesthetics, history, and art, to engage them all.
