Religio et politica omnia licent: Centuries of Magdeburg

In politic context the fakes are custom, because the people is owner of votes and of decisions, we are accustomed, in every country to fakes and the formal promises that haven’t a result because these are necessary to electoral campaign; but in religion sincerity is duty; but when religion is a mask to politic motives, all is different; the read of first pages of centuries of Magdeburg reports some no errors, but authentic lie, because the author, may Mattie Flacius Illiricus(1520-1575) that together with other written this Historia Ecclesiae Christi, this is History Christ’s Church, I think that he known the Latin language because the books of Saint John Damascenes from Middle age were translated from original Greek to Latin language, hence Illiricus read certainly this book on images of Damascenes; and that he has read this book, we deduce it from lie that he used, when he, or other, writes that: “ (saint John Damascenes openly indicated idolatry saint’s as corruption of divine doctrine and the oppression of roman pope(Qui uero aperte indicassent,idolatria sanctorum mortuorum, corruptelis doctrina coelestis. ueritatis oppressione, Romanorum pontificum et aliorum sacerdotum), the first oration of Damascenes is against whom decry the images, and the image of Christ: “Therefore I venture to draw an image of the invisible God, not as invisible, but as having become visible for our sakes through flesh and blood.”; and the lie of Illiricus is in following words of Damascenes: “I do not draw an image of the immortal Godhead. I paint the visible flesh of God, for it is impossible to represent a spirit…”; this explication is sufficient to consider that the idolatry, seen from Centuries is pure invention; this biblical step took from Damascenes is clarification: “Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and thou shalt worship him alone , and thou shalt not make to thyself a carved thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath”, but in biblical tale is yourself you don’t make carved work, alone yourself; and Damascenes gives a historical and liturgical justification of this prohibition : “These injunctions were given to the Jews on account of their proneness to idolatry.”; it is very right because the Jews gone out from ancient  Egypt where the idolatry was natural communication to gods, thereupon God has prohibited the adoration otherwise the people could has worshipped the fakes gods carved. After other step is more explicative: “Now we, on the contrary, are no longer in leading strings. Speaking theologically, it is given to us to avoid superstitious error, to be with God in the knowledge of the truth, to worship God alone, to enjoy the fullness of His knowledge.”; thereupon for Damascenes we are exempt from idolatry. This one step of Damascenes that cunningly Illiricus didn’t transcript because this oration is against the adoration of imagines, this is the pagan believer, we must consider that the heathen interpreted the worship no certainly to sculptures but the carves were necessary to communication with gods. But the motive of these lies is merely politic, hence every lies is right.Saint John Damascenes, other steps: “We have passed the stage of infancy, and reached the perfection of manhood. We receive our habit of mind from God, and know what may be imaged and what may not.”, whereby we can’t become idolaters because we have received from God our faith; and: “When the Invisible One becomes visible to flesh(this is Christ), you may then draw a likeness of His form.” It is both the artistic and the theological right, and the other theological truth: “…He worked in the flesh through divine power…”, therefore he was a man, a visible man, whereby: “Give to it all the endurance of engraving and color.”, this is the human form. Other: “The worship of latreia(worship) is one thing, and the worship which is given to merit another. Thus, the Son is the living, substantial, unchangeable Image of the invisible God, bearing in Himself the whole Father, being in all things equal to Him, differing only in being begotten by the Father, who is the Begetter ; the Son is begotten.”

 Alessandro Lusana