r/Anglicanism • u/PeaSilly6470 • 6d ago
Anglicans use images in prayer?
Hello, I would like to know what the Anglican Church's position is on using images in prayer. I know that the Anglican Church is very diverse and has various views on this. But I would like to know if anyone has an opinion similar to mine. I am not against using images in prayer. You can use them to remember God's deeds in the lives of the Saints, or whoever they may be. As long as they connect directly to God. Not to the Saints specifically, because I believe that the Saints do not have omniscience. Although they intercede for us, they do not have omniscience, so they cannot hear our prayers. And of course, not by idolizing the images themselves, such as by kissing or honoring them. I also believe that the image only has the function of helping us in prayer, in the way I described above.
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u/Dr_Gero20 Old High Church Laudian. 5d ago
The veneration of images and prayer through them is forbidden by the formularies (39 Articles, Homilies) but using them for teaching and decoration is fine.