So like I said, I like the image at Jordan’s post. (she found it at a Creighton University website.) In the image, Joan is little, defenseless; her expression is frightened, but she does not shrink or cower. Her cheeks are red from the heat of the bonfire. And St Michael towers behind her, protecting her. He touches her lightly on the arms as he comforts her in the flames. His face, his posture, convey calmness and strength. In general, I like images with big strong angels. I don’t care for images with girly angels.
So I like this image, but at the same time it has that distinctive “Bridge Building Images” look to it. Bridge Building has some nice images, including images of Saints and Blesseds that I wouldn’t have expected them to carry, such as Blessed Jacinta and Francisco, San Pio di Petrelcina, and Ven. Solanus Casey.
But they also have pages and pages of images that just go off the top of the Catholic Light Nut Scale. Bridge Building loves to depict people whose causes have yet to be opened (Fr Mychal Judge) or whose causes are unlikely to be opened anytime soon. They really, really love doing up images in some kind of bobo-romantic Native American style (complete with a disclaimer.) And, of course, who could forget their nut-rageous Lord of the Dance (complete with their reference to the 1963 ditty “Lord of the Dance” as a “medieval English Carol”)? Not even Fr. Sibley knew where to start on that one.
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You don’t like girly angels because you’re a girl. Me, I’m a boy. So I like’em.
“Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” is a real old English carol which represents Christ as dancing. But…it’s not medieval.
People are surprisingly clueless about this stuff, though. It breaks people’s hearts when you have to explain to them that, although certain “Wind That Shakes the Barley” tunes are old, the words are not at all medieval. As the references to nineteenth and twentieth century political movements would seem to make obvious.
But the icon’s not nutty. Mr. Lentz wants to make money, so he paints icons for everybody, including people trying to blend Christianity and WiccanStuff. That’s perfectly sane — just not very Christian.
Oh my! That Lord of the Dance one was a bit too much! I could have lived a long happy life and not ever have had to imagine that one! : ) I like your take on the St. Joan icon too. She is standing strond and erect, not cowering in fear, God is giving her great strength. Thanks for the kind words.