Doors of Perception: Icons and Their Spiritual Significance

In his preface John Baggley writes: "It may well seem strange that an Anglican parish priest should write an introductory book on icons. After all, icons are hardly a part of English Christian tradition. The tradition to which icons belong is a complex one, and one that is alien to many Western Christians."Thus begins a thoroughly researched, well written and sympathetic introduction for Western readers to the icons of the Eastern Orthodox Church. As a matter of fact, this book is so highly regarded by the Orthodox, it has been published in United States by one of our premier Orthodox publishers, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press."Doors of Perception" is divided into three parts: the main body of Baggley's text covering historical, biblical, spiritual, visual and environmental aspects of iconography; followed by Richard Temple's interesting essay on the painting of icons; and finally a series of seventeen plates, with an informative commentary on each icon. This latter section pretty much follows highlights of the Orthodox liturgical year.I would recommend this to people from the Western tradition who may be curious about icons and their role in Eastern Orthodox worship, or to people--like me--who, after a life in the Western Christian tradition, have decided to "face East." I would even recommend this to those interested in icons as religious art (although the Orthodox don't view it as such), or to those interested in art history.