„Historiae vero sacrae et similes retineantur”: funcția imaginilor produse pentru bisericile luterane ale Transilvaniei în epoca modernă timpurie
„Historiae vero sacrae et similes retineantur”: the function of images made for early modern Transylvanian Lutheran churches

Summary/Abstract: Relying on a case study, the representation of the Ten Commandments in Transylvanian Lutheran churches during the early modern period, this study aims to explore the function of religious images within a specific confessional culture. Starting from the premise that Wittenberg reformers have redefined the function of images by privileging their educational role, the essay wishes to highlight their potential as identity markers and significant props in the clergy’s disciplining strategies. As the clergy devised a reforming programme for the young Evangelical Church of Transylvania, it attempted to root out the beliefs of the traditional Catholic Church together with all undesirable practices. Focused as it was, on orthodoxy and orthopraxy, the clergy defined sin as a series of transgressions which offended both the Church and the community. Consequently, this study aims to assess the roots of these definitions by looking at the Ten Commandments, while also exploring the dissemination of these views within a broader social segment with the help of both images and catechisms. Finally, the essay wishes to evaluate the impact of clerical discourse on sin among Transylvanian artisans, who were actively engaged in disciplining their peers.

• Details
• Contents