On Holy Images - Saint John of Damascus

“A Treatise on Images will not be out of place in a public which is confusing the making of images with the making of idols. A great Christian of the eighth century found himself called upon to face an imperial Iconoclast, Leo the Isaurian, who waged war against holy images, on the plausible pretext that they withdrew honour from God. He would willingly have remained silent, but he would not bury his talent of eloquence. He brought it forth and witnessed to the teaching of the Church... The seventh General Council condemned Leo’s assault. And the special champion of holy Images is St John Damascene, whose treatise is now published for the first time in English.” (Summary adapted by The Reader from the Translator's Preface)