The Icon as Revelation: Sergius Bulgakov's Theoretical and Practical Understanding of the Icon

Only in relatively recent times has the icon captured the sustained attention of theologians. Following the “rediscovery” of the icon in the twentieth century, however, many significant works began to be written on the topic. At the beginning of these efforts stands the work of Sergius Bulgakov. Not confining himself to the dogmatic significance of the icon, he also interprets the iconography of the Orthodox Church throughout his treatment of more customary theological commonplaces. Following an analysis of these two movements, the paper concludes with an affirmation of the thesis: that Bulgakov utilizes icons in his theological project in a way that is consistent with the theology that he develops to support their use as sources of revelation.Master of Arts (MA