A study of Iconoclasm and Orthodox Sunday is particulary interesting to half a million Christians in the Churches of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria, who continue to use Greek side by side with Arabic in their prayers and who never cease to look for spiritual inspiration and guidance in the works of the Greek Fathers and the decisions of the seven Oecumenical Councils. To these Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians, the study of every aspect of Byzantine History is necessary for a correct understanding of their ecclesiastical, liturgical, and spiritual heritage. With their Semitic and Greek approach to Sacred Literature, and their modern scientific training, they must have much to say for a more correct understanding of .Byzantine thought and general Christian philosophy and theology
This little paper is a very humble effort to put together the results of European research on Iconoclasm and Orthodox Sunday. It is a pioneer attempt to place at the disposal of Arabic speaking Christians and Moslems, a scientific presentation of the problem of images in the Christian Church. It carries two messages to European scholars: Training in Greek language, literature, philosophy and theology, is not sufficient for a scientific study of Byzantine History. European centres of Byzantine studies must insist on thorough training in historical methodology. Then, in the second place, Welhausen, Lammens and other European scholars have exaggerated the liberal tendencies of Omayyad Courts. Like every other Moslem state, the Omayyad .Kingdom was first and foremost a Moslem institution
A. J. R.
Ras- Beirut
Aug. 15, 1958.
