I was first introduced to this image as a Newly Qualified Teacher last year during RE training in Westminster. It is by Catholic artist Antonia Rolls who in 1985, when she painted this small (5” x 5”) picture, was living in West London, very close to where I live now and leading a similarly hectic life working with an Economic Consultancy. It had immediate resonance for me at the time as, like the artist I had spent many years travelling by tube observing the indifferent, even dispassionate behaviour of the mass of detached and isolated beings that I travelled with each day; carefully avoiding eye-contact, despite the often uncomfortably close proximity.
This contemporary image is reminiscent of many older works where the person of Jesus is depicted in a working environment, as a shepherd or carpenter. It shows Jesus in a ‘normal’ situation, perhaps on His way to work - a situation that people today can easily comprehend. It shows the hypostatic Jesus as both divine and human – hands crossed, on a crowded train, the Jesus in the picture, however, is not your ‘normal commuter’, not simply because of His iconistic attire or halo, but because of what he is doing - he is looking directly at you! He knows you, and you know that He knows.
But what about other people… The City slicker reading the FT is very pointedly focused on something ‘more important’; the older lady is steadfastly maintaining ‘tube etiquette’ by staring into middle distance, while holding on tight to her valuables; meanwhile the younger woman simply closes her eyes to it all – perhaps today she would be wearing headphones and be ensconced in her own tiny little world. Their intention is made clear to the viewer; these people, like many of those who came into contac...
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...ty (2013), CPHZ002AP2013/4 Catholic Certificate of Religious Studies, Person of Christ (2013/14), Liverpool, Liverpool Hope University
2. Davies, D. (1994), ‘Christianity’, from Holm, Jean ‘Picturing God’ pp41-69, London, Frances Pinter Publishers Ltd
3. The Trinity (2014), ‘In Our Time’, BBC Radio 4 with Janet Soskice, Professor of Philosophical Theology at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Jesus College; Martin Palmer, Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education, and Culture; The Reverend Graham Ward, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and a Canon of Christ Church. Available from http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03xgl3m (Accessed 19th April 2014)
4. The Person of Jesus (2014), ‘Catholic Faith’, Available from http://catholicfaith.org.uk/Home/Catholic-Faith/The-person-of-Jesus-Christ (Accessed 19th April 2014)
which cover his waist and some of his torso. He is holding a very tall, slender cross in his left hand, while looking with a diffused look to the right. Also, to the left of him (to the right from the viewer’s perspective) there is a sheep lying upon a rock.
Saunders, William P. Straight Answers: Answers to 100 Questions about the Catholic Faith. Baltimore, MD: Cathedral Foundation, 1998. Print.
McCurry, Jeffrey. "The Spiritual Dimension: Religion, Philosophy, and Human Value – By John Cottingham." Modern Theology 24.2 (2008): 320-24. Print.
Her choices of metaphors are simplistic explanations providing the backdrop for the emotional and spiritual connection we seek in following Christ. The symbolic comparisons of Mary Magdalene, her relationship to Jesus, mirrors some of Julian of Norwich’s personal spiritual journey of prayerful contemplation while seeking intimacy in her relationship to God.
Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 19(1), 69-84. Heim, D. (1996). The 'Standard'. Phil Jackson, Seeker in Sneakers. Christian Century, 133(20), 654-656.
Francis of Assisi is one of the most influential personalities in the entire world. In the book ‘Francis of Assisi: Performing the Gospel Life,’ Cunningham recounts the life of this humble monk who lived in the medieval times, and shaped the Christian life, which spread in Western culture throughout the rest of history. I believe Cunningham accurately accounts for the life of Francis of Assisi, and in doing so; he provides a trajectory of the Christian faith from its early and historical proponents through its fusion with western culture, and its subsequent spread throughout the world.
McManners, John. "The Oxford History of Christianity." The Oxford History of Christianity. New York: New York Oxford Press, 2002. 28.
Davis, Edward B. “The Christian Century”. Chicago. Jul 15 – Jul 22. 1998. Vol 115,
Barth, Karl. Karl Barth's Table Talk, Scottish Journal of Theology Occasional Papers No.10, Godsey, D. John, editor, (Edinburgh: Oliver and Tweed, 1963)
...s distributed in Theology 101 at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle on 22 April 2008.
" Christianity & Literature 58.1 (2008): 81-92. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. Fienberg, Lorne. "
Kerr, H. (1990). Readings in christian thought (2nd ed.). H. T. Kerr (Ed.). Nashville: Abingdon Press.
The Story of Christianity is a book written by Justo Gonzalez; a native of Cuba. Gonzalez serves on the faculty of the Interdenominational Theological Center which is located in Atlanta Georgia. He attended Yale University, where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in historical theology; in fact Dr. Gonzalez is the youngest person at Yale to be awarded a Ph.D. He is also one of the first generation Latino theologians and instead of growing up Catholic, comes from a protestant background. In addition to writing many other books, Gonzalez is also Cokesbury’s publishing chief narrator of the Christian Believer study video lessons course and the recipient of the Ecumenism Award from the Theological Consortium in Washington, which he received as a result of his ecumenical work of bringing together churches of different denominations
A Century of Theological and Religious Studies in Britain, 1902–2007 by Ernest Nicholson 2004 pages 125–126
Bainvel, Jean. The New Catholic Encyclopedia. New York City: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15006b.htm (accessed September 23, 2011).