Idiotatry Isn't Just a Symbol

Orton: Christians realized that it was okay to make depictions of God in the form of Jesus. But unlike ancient idolaters, they did not believe that Jesus took up residence in these images. They recognized that an image of Christ is just a symbol; Jesus doesn't live in it. Orton: When we approach Christian texts from the second and third centuries, we must be careful not to over-interpret their strident anti-idolatry message.