 Just as Jesus’ parables employed normal life to illustrate the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, so Christian artists have often found examples from non-Christian artists of beneficial ways to depict the teachings of Scripture. With this article, Edward Riojas, Lutheran artist and illustrator, begins a nine-article series on symbols in Christian art. In this first installment, he addresses the earliest Christian symbols, including the phoenix, shepherds, and more.

Read the entire article on The Lutheran Witness website.

For more information on The Lutheran Witness or to subscribe to the magazine, please visit witness.lcms.org. Sound effect obtained from zapsplat.com.

The Earliest Christian Symbols