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5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a landmark book., Jun 29 2003
Brilliant! The photos express a evolving understanding of "Christ" (and a few other connected topics) in our contemporary Western culture. In this book, Nissan Perez (the curator of Photography at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem) has collected photos reflecting the Western world's meaning of Christ. Occasionally, in the book, the sacred has been caricatured, even profaned, but, to the curators credit, the book doesn't seek to be "religiously correct" by editing out the profane, nor the secular; rather he reveals in a balanced way how today's society understands Christ and Christianity. The book's jacket cover (The Last Supper using 'The Sopranos') is one of the many examples of how artists through the ages have utilized religious imagery to express Christ. The contemporary photos are powerful symbols of the postmodern understanding of both faith and Christ. Paul Tillich (German-American philosopher and theologian) once wrote "Man's ultimate concern must be expressed symbolically, because symbolic language alone is able to express the ultimate." The symbol is the ultimate language of faith. These photos capture the symbol of Christ, the image of Christ and more. They eloquently express the complexity found in the language of faith. The symbolic images of Christ that are captured in these photos: Last Supper, Crucifixion, Descent from the Cross. The photos are provocative, and press the interpretation of an orthodox Christ. Photos can, as this book deftly shows, point beyond themselves to something else, something transcending the mundanity of life. This book, like its many images, transcends words and captures the matrix of faith. This language of faith deserves to be seen. Highly recommended.
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