What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church

by Gavin Ortlund

Apparently, Constantia had requested an image of Christ. Eusebius harshly rebuked her for this request, stating that any attempt to depict Christ either in his glorified state or in his human state prior to his glorification is both impossible and unlawful, akin to pagan idolatry. He wonders at how Constantia can even make the request: Can it be that you have forgotten that passage in which God lays down the law that no likeness should be made either of what is in heaven or what is in the earth beneath? Have you ever heard anything of the kind either yourself in church or from another person? Are not such things banished and excluded from churches all over the world, and is it not common knowledge that such practices are not permitted to us alone?47 It is evident that Eusebius regards avoiding images of Christ to be common knowledge among Christians, since (according to him) it is the universal Christian practice in obedience to the second commandment. He proceeds to recount another episode in which he had to confiscate an image purported to be of Paul and Christ: “I took it away from her and kept it in my house, as I thought it improper that such things ever be exhibited to others, lest we appear, like idol worshippers, to carry our God around in an image.”48 Elsewhere Eusebius also makes reference to Christians paying homage to statues, commenting that he is not surprised since they are acting out an old habit they retained from their former pagan world.49 It is hard to ...