Our book club members surely remember the wonderful books of this cloistered artist-nun, some of which have been club offerings in past years. We are happy, then, to call your attention to her latest. A nun who has spent her life in prayer, living “close to God,” shares the power of beautiful icons to reveal God to us—but concentrates on eight of the roughly 53 surviving icons of Mary from early centuries.
Sister Wendy Beckett’s narrative and commentary is imbued with spiritual and historical insights on practices of early Christians and the role of Scripture and biblical writers in their life. Her chief intent, though, is to trace the evolution and role that art came to play in the early church. “If historians believed that there was very little Christian art before the time of Constantine,” she notes, “they were even more certain that there was never any Jewish art.” Etchings in catacombs, sculptured tombs and other impressive forms of art depicted in the book tell a striking story of their own. And Beckett provides just sufficient detail to spark the reader’s intellect and spirit. She explores too the rich holdings of monasteries and museums, and ultimately eight images of the Virgin. The author’s special “encounter with God” can be experienced as well by our prayerful and attentive reflection while reading this wonderful book.
Purchase Encounters With God: In Quest of Ancient Icons of Mary
This article appears in June 22 2009.
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