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La petite vermillon #391
The Humiliation of the Word
Argues that visual reality has overcome verbal truth, examines the biblical distinction between truth and reality, and considers the impact of the visual on artists and intellectuals
285 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
19 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Jacques Ellul
119 books446 followersBaptised Catholic, Ellul became an atheist and Marxist at 19, and a Christian of the Reformed Church at 22. During his Marxist days, he was a member of the French Communist Party. During World War II, he fought with the French Underground against the Nazi occupation of France.
Educated at the Universities of Bordeaux and Paris, he taught Sociology and the History of Law at the Universities of Strausbourg and Montpellier. In 1946 he returned to Bordeaux where he lived, wrote, served as Mayor, and taught until his death in 1994.
In the 40 books and hundreds of articles Ellul wrote in his lifetime, his dominant theme was always the threat to human freedom posed by modern technology. His tenor and methodology is objective and scholarly, and the perspective is a sociological one. Few of his books are overtly political -- even though they deal directly with political phenomena -- and several of his books, including "Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes" and "The Technological Society" are required reading in many graduate communication curricula.
Ellul was also a respected and serious Christian theologian whose 1948 work, "The Presence of the Kingdom," makes explicit a dual theme inherent, though subtly stated, in all of his writing, a sort of yin and yang of modern technological society: sin and sacramentality.
Educated at the Universities of Bordeaux and Paris, he taught Sociology and the History of Law at the Universities of Strausbourg and Montpellier. In 1946 he returned to Bordeaux where he lived, wrote, served as Mayor, and taught until his death in 1994.
In the 40 books and hundreds of articles Ellul wrote in his lifetime, his dominant theme was always the threat to human freedom posed by modern technology. His tenor and methodology is objective and scholarly, and the perspective is a sociological one. Few of his books are overtly political -- even though they deal directly with political phenomena -- and several of his books, including "Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes" and "The Technological Society" are required reading in many graduate communication curricula.
Ellul was also a respected and serious Christian theologian whose 1948 work, "The Presence of the Kingdom," makes explicit a dual theme inherent, though subtly stated, in all of his writing, a sort of yin and yang of modern technological society: sin and sacramentality.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 22, 2016
In "The Humiliation of the Word", Jacques Ellul contrasts Truth and Reality.
The dichotomy between word and image and between truth and reality is a temporary effect of the Fall, and contrary to God’s ultimate purpose for humankind. In the Incarnation and the consummation of God’s Kingdom, word and image are reconciled.
The world refuses to accept that God chooses to reveal Himself through His Word.
Quotes from the book:
"The text is progressively retreating everywhere. A simple examination of textbooks and magazines shows this. The turnaround took place between 1950 and 1960. Previously images were mere illustrations of a dominant text. Language was by far the most important element, and in addition there were images to make the text’s content more explicit and to hold the reader’s attention. This was their sole purpose. Now the situation is reversed: the image contains everything. And as we turn the pages we follow a sequence of images, making use of a
completely different mental operation. The text is there only to fill in empty spaces and gaps, and also to explain, if necessary, what might not be clear in the images. It is true that sometimes the images are clear but do not clearly communicate what the reader is supposed to learn from them. Thus the relationship has been reversed: images once were illustrations of a text. Now the text has become the explanation of the images."
"For though our era speaks, and abounds in printed paper, so that written thought has never been as widespread as today, still there is a strange movement that deprives the word of its importance. Talk and newspapers are like word mills to which no one attaches any importance anymore. Who would still consider a book as something decisive and capable of changing his life, when there are so many of them? And a person’s word, buried under the floods of millions of people’s words, no longer has any meaning or outreach. The word has no importance for any listener because it is broadcast in millions of instances over thousands of miles."
The dichotomy between word and image and between truth and reality is a temporary effect of the Fall, and contrary to God’s ultimate purpose for humankind. In the Incarnation and the consummation of God’s Kingdom, word and image are reconciled.
The world refuses to accept that God chooses to reveal Himself through His Word.
Quotes from the book:
"The text is progressively retreating everywhere. A simple examination of textbooks and magazines shows this. The turnaround took place between 1950 and 1960. Previously images were mere illustrations of a dominant text. Language was by far the most important element, and in addition there were images to make the text’s content more explicit and to hold the reader’s attention. This was their sole purpose. Now the situation is reversed: the image contains everything. And as we turn the pages we follow a sequence of images, making use of a
completely different mental operation. The text is there only to fill in empty spaces and gaps, and also to explain, if necessary, what might not be clear in the images. It is true that sometimes the images are clear but do not clearly communicate what the reader is supposed to learn from them. Thus the relationship has been reversed: images once were illustrations of a text. Now the text has become the explanation of the images."
"For though our era speaks, and abounds in printed paper, so that written thought has never been as widespread as today, still there is a strange movement that deprives the word of its importance. Talk and newspapers are like word mills to which no one attaches any importance anymore. Who would still consider a book as something decisive and capable of changing his life, when there are so many of them? And a person’s word, buried under the floods of millions of people’s words, no longer has any meaning or outreach. The word has no importance for any listener because it is broadcast in millions of instances over thousands of miles."
May 15, 2016
If I could actually understand this book, I'm sure I would give it more than 2/5. I think I am very sympathetic to Ellul's points (I certainly am to Neil Postman in 'Amusing Ourselves to Death,' which has many similarities to this book) but I find Ellul a bit too dense to fathom. Maybe if he used images and pictures to illustrate his thought I would understand it better ;). One thing he carefully elaborates on is that there is often a division between reality and truth; our culture, obsessed with the physical and sensual, often neglects the validity of truth because it cannot be demonstrated in the same material, tangible fashion as reality.
February 10, 2025
This is probably the most challenging Ellul book I’ve encountered (despite him saying that this is no “learned discourse” in the introduction). The distinction between Truth and Reality is powerful and insightful, but this is a dense, challenging book. I think I comprehended about 20% on the first pass. Hopefully I have the courage to revisit this again, because I know there is gold lying in wait. I’m still confident enough in it that my rating is sincere, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that fifth star is between the covers somewhere.
Read
December 1, 2024Ellul argues that more than ever, we judge things by mere outward appearances. To him, this is profoundly disturbing as God chose to reveal Himself through the spoken Word, later compiled in Scripture.
“The Humiliation of the Word” is a favorite of many Ellul scholars.
I’ve read enough Ellul to notice that in some ways, THOTW feels different from his other works. You see, Ellul intended for some of his books to be strictly sociological and others solely theological. Despite the divide he hoped that his books could all be understood as one ultimately cohesive singular work, his theology and intellectual study working together to describe his overarching and extremely wide-ranging analysis of the human situation. In this specific book he combines the two, breaking the dialectical split he upholds for much of his other works where the connection can only be seen if one reads multiple Ellul books.
It means a lot that what was important about Jesus wasn’t his physical appearance, but what He said. Ellul therefore is bothered by anyone who attempts to depict the divine visually for how can a God that is beyond us be visually depicted when it matters far more that He was God in human flesh…and what He did…the Word He spoke? His strong warnings against visual images are sure to cause controversy amongst Christians. I myself am not quite sure what to feel. I think it is impossible for us to accurately visualize God via imagery, and I agree with Ellul in that idolatrous images of other religions are false precisely because they can be visually seen. (I worship a God that I think is true because he is above our full thoughts and comprehension and thus cannot be accurately depicted visually.) But I love and feel outright awe when looking at beautiful art, Christian or otherwise. Maybe I’m wrong, but I sensed that Ellul spoke so strongly against our tendency to prefer images not because he hates them but because it is so easy for us to base our lives around them, when we can see such a small part of what really is. Appearances are not always true!
Ellul is always direct and clear with his language, giving his works a sense of intention. I felt this way especially when Ellul eloquently rages at Postmodern attacks against language. Ellul claims that the specific disdain for language is because of a hatred for the Word, and thus ultimately a hatred of God. Essentially, he argues for a lot of interesting theological concepts with a greater vocabulary and understanding than me.
We forget how important the Word is. Reading this work reminded me of how Genesis states that God speaks the world into existence. For a Christian, the entire universe literally came into existence through the medium of spoken language!
The great epics of human history were all invoked by language, it is through the fragile and free Word that we can express ourselves as opposed to the lack of genuine expression found in mere imagery. This is why evil men, and dark spiritual forces work to constrain the Words power and the beauty of human language. Imagery may be beautiful, tempting, something that always entrances my brain. But I can’t let that be all I am! The animals can also see, but only human creatures have language that allows for profound relation and communion with others. The Word has power, and in the end will overcome the constant barrage of propagandistic images which constrain us from understanding Truth.
“The Humiliation of the Word” is a favorite of many Ellul scholars.
I’ve read enough Ellul to notice that in some ways, THOTW feels different from his other works. You see, Ellul intended for some of his books to be strictly sociological and others solely theological. Despite the divide he hoped that his books could all be understood as one ultimately cohesive singular work, his theology and intellectual study working together to describe his overarching and extremely wide-ranging analysis of the human situation. In this specific book he combines the two, breaking the dialectical split he upholds for much of his other works where the connection can only be seen if one reads multiple Ellul books.
It means a lot that what was important about Jesus wasn’t his physical appearance, but what He said. Ellul therefore is bothered by anyone who attempts to depict the divine visually for how can a God that is beyond us be visually depicted when it matters far more that He was God in human flesh…and what He did…the Word He spoke? His strong warnings against visual images are sure to cause controversy amongst Christians. I myself am not quite sure what to feel. I think it is impossible for us to accurately visualize God via imagery, and I agree with Ellul in that idolatrous images of other religions are false precisely because they can be visually seen. (I worship a God that I think is true because he is above our full thoughts and comprehension and thus cannot be accurately depicted visually.) But I love and feel outright awe when looking at beautiful art, Christian or otherwise. Maybe I’m wrong, but I sensed that Ellul spoke so strongly against our tendency to prefer images not because he hates them but because it is so easy for us to base our lives around them, when we can see such a small part of what really is. Appearances are not always true!
Ellul is always direct and clear with his language, giving his works a sense of intention. I felt this way especially when Ellul eloquently rages at Postmodern attacks against language. Ellul claims that the specific disdain for language is because of a hatred for the Word, and thus ultimately a hatred of God. Essentially, he argues for a lot of interesting theological concepts with a greater vocabulary and understanding than me.
We forget how important the Word is. Reading this work reminded me of how Genesis states that God speaks the world into existence. For a Christian, the entire universe literally came into existence through the medium of spoken language!
The great epics of human history were all invoked by language, it is through the fragile and free Word that we can express ourselves as opposed to the lack of genuine expression found in mere imagery. This is why evil men, and dark spiritual forces work to constrain the Words power and the beauty of human language. Imagery may be beautiful, tempting, something that always entrances my brain. But I can’t let that be all I am! The animals can also see, but only human creatures have language that allows for profound relation and communion with others. The Word has power, and in the end will overcome the constant barrage of propagandistic images which constrain us from understanding Truth.
May 15, 2023
Unglaublich scharfe und prophetische Analyse des Einflusses von Technik und Medien auf unsere Gesellschaft. Schon in den 1980er Jahren hat der Autor Entwicklungen erkannt, die erst später mit dem Aufkommen des Internets nochmals auf kumulierte Weise zu Tage kamen.
June 24, 2020
Un début difficile, les 40 premières pages. Puis le déclic. Et on est alors emporté par la pensée d'Ellul. Bluffé par l'analyse. Et nous voyons se dérouler, se dévoiler bien des maux de l'Eglise et plus largement de notre société de (des) image(s). Tout y passe. La télévision, les méthodes d'apprentissage de la lecture, le parler en langues, la théologie de l'icône, l'art moderne.
Ouvrage prophétique de notre temps où l'émotion d'une image, d'une vidéo, notamment sur les réseaux sociaux (qui n'existaient pas quand ce livre fut écrit) prime sur la raison, l'explication.
Et puis ce cinquième chapitre. Rien que lui justifie la lecture de ce livre.
Réel contre Vérité
Ouvrage prophétique de notre temps où l'émotion d'une image, d'une vidéo, notamment sur les réseaux sociaux (qui n'existaient pas quand ce livre fut écrit) prime sur la raison, l'explication.
Et puis ce cinquième chapitre. Rien que lui justifie la lecture de ce livre.
Réel contre Vérité
June 2, 2011
This book is Ellul's critique against the contemporary preoccupation with symbols, images, graphic displays, etc. and the tendency to reduce discursive knowledge into some kind of visual format. His critique is that contemporary culture degrades and humiliates words and language. His analysis of the problem is essentially from a sociological and theological perspective. In essence, his thesis states, "the situation of the word in our society is deplorable" (155). In his analysis, Ellul employs what he refers to as an "oversimplified distinction," between hearing and speaking (the realm of words and language) versus the realm of seeing and showing. The latter realm, seeing and showing, Ellul refers to as the realm of images. Ellul is aware that the distinction is oversimplified, but he refuses to abandon it because he contends that contemporary culture insists on the distinction because it continuously seeks to undermine the validity of the auditory by reducing words to visual images: charts, graphs, or even mere slogans.
As he contends, ours is a culture in which sight has triumphed. The problem, he asserts, is that the contemporary preference for sight at the expense of hearing (with the attendant contraction of the importance of the word) is not theologically neutral. He explores Orthodox image-worship, mystical theology which supplants discursive theology, and Latin masses which defy most common people's understanding (such that the elevation of the host becomes all-important). And he explores what it means in some depth given that God has chosen to cage his revelation primarily in the realm of the hearing and speaking.
What is remarkable is that this book is over twenty years old (thus the problem is likely more acute than when first penned), employs an admittedly oversimplified distinction upon which to make its main argument, and yet it does provoke a more than modest degree of reflection. I found myself particularly reflecting on what it means for the preaching task.
As he contends, ours is a culture in which sight has triumphed. The problem, he asserts, is that the contemporary preference for sight at the expense of hearing (with the attendant contraction of the importance of the word) is not theologically neutral. He explores Orthodox image-worship, mystical theology which supplants discursive theology, and Latin masses which defy most common people's understanding (such that the elevation of the host becomes all-important). And he explores what it means in some depth given that God has chosen to cage his revelation primarily in the realm of the hearing and speaking.
What is remarkable is that this book is over twenty years old (thus the problem is likely more acute than when first penned), employs an admittedly oversimplified distinction upon which to make its main argument, and yet it does provoke a more than modest degree of reflection. I found myself particularly reflecting on what it means for the preaching task.
September 11, 2017
Ce livre eſt un defi. Un manifeſte iconoclaſte du fin du XXème, par un auteur néoorthodoxe mais d’un saveur réformé. Je le récommenderais à tous mes amis réformés, même en ſachant que les idiosyncraſies de l’auteur arrivent au criminel — notamment dans ſon ſupport à l’avortement, pas seulement idéologique mais pratique. En tout cas, en ſachant que nous ſommes ſauvés para la grâce, & que nous ſommes tous des pecheurs & des hérétiques, j’ai le espoir de luir retrouver au Ciel.
August 28, 2025
It was a pleasure to revisit Ellul on a topic that continues to be relevant and perhaps even more relevant than Ellul realized at the time of his writing. The Word is humiliated by images and images continue to infiltrate our mind and thought with our current technology and devices. Ellul continues in his drastic, all consuming and deconstructionist approach similar his classic work The Technological Society. Technique drowns out the power of listening and our ability to abide in God's word. Ellul continues to break down the influence of images, first in the proliferation of television during his time which is now in hyperdrive through the pervasive technique of posts on social media. Ellul does offer a reconciliation in the dramatic images provided in John's Revelation as well as the words of Jesus in John. I found the thorough critique of images in The Humiliation a worthy lament on the power that AI and social media have over our current human experience. Ellul offers a glimmer of hope through John's description of the future through end-times imagery where word and image combine to illuminate a picture of the eternal dwelling with the Word.
November 5, 2023
Jacques is brilliant, but I do not think that his thesis for this book, that words themselves are being absolutely overthrown by images within our modern world, is completely true for our current historical state, what with the rise of podcasts and interactive streaming. Perhaps the absolute decline of dialogue, but less that of words, and not even in the sense of propaganda but in the sense of meaningful statements. It is a trend that is happening but I think has been a trend throughout humanities existence, not just our current temporal snapshot.
I have, however, found his distinction useful for a generally tendency within humanity to seek to grasp the image of a thing prior to the self disclosure of it, the classic desire to reduce I-Thou relations to I-It relations, which tend to correspond in Ellul's thought as Word/Image relations. Hence the prohibition of graven images in use of worship, as we treat God more as a static image than a dynamic word.
I have, however, found his distinction useful for a generally tendency within humanity to seek to grasp the image of a thing prior to the self disclosure of it, the classic desire to reduce I-Thou relations to I-It relations, which tend to correspond in Ellul's thought as Word/Image relations. Hence the prohibition of graven images in use of worship, as we treat God more as a static image than a dynamic word.
January 3, 2021
Yazarın uzmanlık alanı da -hukuk, sosyoloji, teknoloji felsefesi- dikkate alındığında “Sözün Düşüşü”nün dille ilgili bir kitap mı, dinle ilgili bir kitap mı yoksa sosyoloji alanına ait bir kitap mı olduğu tartışılabilir. Zira Ellul bu kitapta dilden başlayan bir tahlille teolojiden sosyolojiye, medyadan modern sanata kadar pek çok alanda sözün/kelimenin/dilin takibini yapar. İslam nazari geleneklerinin de ele aldığı pek çok problem -özellikle yaratılış teorileri açısından- bu kitabın değindiği meseleler arasında...
February 5, 2019
As if it wasn't evident before, Ellul goes full-on iconoclast here. At times I felt myself resisting the places I was led, but the full force of his argument was very convincing. As with his other work, it is every bit as relevant as it was when he first wrote it.
June 26, 2020
kesinlikle ufuk açıcı
January 20, 2016
This is a thought provoking book. Ellul is one of the greatest intellects of the twentieth century and it's no surprise that this book is not light reading. I'd previously read his "Technological Society" and "Propaganda", both of which are not easy reads. I bought the book because I'd heard it referenced by Neil Postman in an old interview and I knew it would be a difficult and thought provoking read. I was right about that. It's not the sort of book I couldn't put down... it's the sort of book I had to put down to give my brain a rest. The book requires another read, or two, before I could even begin to review it. Suffice it to say the book should be reprinted and made available to a new audience.
August 11, 2011
Jaques Ellul makes us think about why ( and why we allow ) images dominate our lives. Probably one of my top 5 all time favorite books.
"People reduce what can only belong to the order of the word (which of necessity they are responsible) to the order of sight (where they reign as masters)" (89).
"Our ultimate desire is to bring everything to sight, even when it is a matter of internalized sight. We need an image in order to grab hold of something" (95).
"... and the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes ..." Genesis 3:6
"People reduce what can only belong to the order of the word (which of necessity they are responsible) to the order of sight (where they reign as masters)" (89).
"Our ultimate desire is to bring everything to sight, even when it is a matter of internalized sight. We need an image in order to grab hold of something" (95).
"... and the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes ..." Genesis 3:6
August 12, 2009
Ellul has an inimitable style and a knack for asserting his ideas "with authority", not like the scribes of other books.
The entire Prolegomena (Ch 1) is previewable on Google Books.
The entire Prolegomena (Ch 1) is previewable on Google Books.
September 17, 2015
I liked this book. Especially when Ellul turns to the eschatological function of visions and apocalypses, and the reconciliation of word and image at the end of the age, and temporarily in the incarnation. His insights into Witness related to sight, and faith related to sight were also high points for me.
The whole thing is worth a read IMO
The whole thing is worth a read IMO
February 5, 2016
He's a bad historian and poor biblical studies authority, but his theology is clean and cry against his a-intellectual culture's reliance on image over speech intensifies for today.
July 8, 2025
Un propos qui fait quand même preuve d'énormément d'aigreur. Réduire l'image à une aliénation incompatible à la parole... une œuvre qui a surement trop mal vieilli
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews