New Byzantine-Style Icon at PLNU to Portray Creation as a Dynamic, Unfolding Process
Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) biology professor, Andrew Nosal, has commissioned a new Byzantine-style icon (painting) that will depict Creation as a dynamic and ongoing process, and carry the ‘procession’ through to its culmination in Christ, the Alpha and Omega. The artist is UK-based iconographer, Aidan Hart (https://aidanharticons.com/), who has over 40 years of experience in this timeless Christian artform. He has designed a beautiful and thoughtful icon, full of symbolism and traditional theological content (click here for a full description). The design does not abandon the Hexaemeron (the 6-day Genesis story), thus affirming the narrative’s rich symbolic, theological, and prophetic value, but rather augments it with what God has revealed to us through natural science, including evolutionary biology. The icon is not intended to reconcile evolution with Genesis in a scientifically concordant way, but to integrate God’s Word with God’s World to tell a more complete story of Creation, including the story’s beginning and end, in Christ. This is an eschatological vision of Creation, deeply inspired by the writings of Saint Maximus the Confessor. At 2 x 1.33 m (approx. 6 x 4 ft), this icon will be large and detailed; it will be placed on permanent public display in PLNU’s Ryan Library. Click here to view the full-sized color sketch of the proposed icon and here to view a more detailed black-and-white pencil sketch.
The fundraising goal of $50,000 will cover the production of the final icon (about $35,000), as well as packing, shipping, insurance, mounting, lighting, a protective case, an interactive museum-style kiosk, and educational programming. Help make this special project a reality by donating below! Any donation amount is greatly needed and appreciated, and all donations are tax-deductible. All donors will receive updates as the project progresses and donors who give the following amounts will also receive a special thank-you gift once the final icon is completed:
A Tier 1 donation of $100 will receive an 8x12” archival Giclée print of the final icon
A Tier 2 donation of $500 will receive a 12x18” archival Giclée print of the final icon
A Tier 3 donation of $1,000 will receive an 18x24” archival Giclée print of the final icon
A Tier 4 donation of $5,000 will receive an 18x24” archival Giclée print of the final icon, signed by the artist, as well as signed copies of his three books on iconography
A Tier 5 donation of $10,000 will receive an 18x24” wood-mounted Giclée print of the final icon, hand gilded with gold leafing and signed by the artist, as well as signed copies of his three books on iconography.
If you would prefer not to receive any thank-you gifts and you would like the entirety of your donation to go towards this fundraiser, please type any gift amount into the "other" field.
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