Reply To: Bibles for the illiterate

[Aubri Stogsdill]

Because the masses were for the most part illiterate, it was up to the church to communicate the biblical stories and values that they wanted to be held in a visual manner. By creating incredibly beautiful churches with carvings and paintings inside of them, the illiterate would have visual representations of biblical narratives and the wealthy would still appreciate the beauty of the architecture. One example of this is seen at the Cathedral of St Lazare. Above on of the doors is a carved scene that has been dubbed a ‘sermon in stone’. In this stone carving we see a depiction of the final judgment. This would have easily conveyed the message of the need for ones to submit themselves to God and to the Church in order to avoid eternal suffering. This would have been a powerful message that would have easily been understood by anyone who took the time to look. Art played a massive role in the authority and control that the church had on society. It was also the way that many illiterate were able to grasp the gospel, other scripture, and the messages that the church was trying to convey.