The Clash of Gods

Rating:
Summary: Mathews explains clearly why Christanity won over Antiquity.
Review: This is a bold and clear reinterpretation of Early Christian Art. It moves the reader through a cany reseeing that respects and illuminates both the message and the people who received it. Mathews explains in an open and well documented way how Christian images fought and defeated the pagan gods. As an art historian trained with the rather confusing cannon of earlier scholarship I found it delightful reading.

Rating:
Summary: A necessary tool for the understanding of early christianity
Review: While Mathews has crafted an thorough polemic against what he calls the "Emperor Mystique" prevalent as a key hermenuetic of early christian art, he stimulated me to go beyond the declared intent of his thoughtful book. The author opens the door to the polyvalence of the symbolism of the art of the church, particularly from the third through the sixth centuries. Mathews presents the adaptation of Greco-Roman art forms and their translation into the competitive contexts of christian origins. While I was persuaded that Alfoldi and Grabar probably went too far in their attempt to link the art of the church with an exclusively imperial model, I still believe that many christians would have recognized elements of this model in viewing the paintings and mosaics of the church. Religious symbolism can function in multiple ways, both singly and in combinations depending on various religious, political, social, and economic agenda. This book is a useful complement to Averil Cameron's "Christianity and the Rhetoric of Empire."

Rating:
Summary: A necessary tool for the understanding of early christianity
Review: While Mathews has crafted an thorough polemic against what he calls the "Emperor Mystique" prevalent as a key hermenuetic of early christian art, he stimulated me to go beyond the declared intent of his thoughtful book. The author opens the door to the polyvalence of the symbolism of the art of the church, particularly from the third through the sixth centuries. Mathews presents the adaptation of Greco-Roman art forms and their translation into the competitive contexts of christian origins. While I was persuaded that Alfoldi and Grabar probably went too far in their attempt to link the art of the church with an exclusively imperial model, I still believe that many christians would have recognized elements of this model in viewing the paintings and mosaics of the church. Religious symbolism can function in multiple ways, both singly and in combinations depending on various religious, political, social, and economic agenda. This book is a useful complement to Averil Cameron's "Christianity and the Rhetoric of Empire."