Visio Divina
Sacred Seeing Through Great Works of Art
Arthur Aghajanian explores visual culture in ways that are informed by his own contemplative practice.
Armenia’s Cross: A Cosmic Tree of Life
The khachkar, or cross-stone, is unique to Armenia, the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion. Arthur Aghajanian explores the idea of the Cosmic Christ embedded in these beautiful monuments.
Contemplatives in Conversation: Images in Contemplative Practice
Arthur Aghajanian and Don Salmon discuss the use of images for spiritual guidance in traditional and contemporary practice.
The Place Of Unknowing
In this essay, Arthur Aghajanian writes about Caspar David Friedrich’s “Monk by the Sea” as a visual embodiment of the apophatic tradition.
The Shape of Personality
In an essay inspired by writing from C.S. Lewis, Arthur Aghajanian explores the representation of personality in our visual culture.
Portraits of the True Self
Arthur Aghajanian has done it again. Please enjoy a compelling examination of the art of Rembrandt. This time with a personal touch. Arthur shares his own struggles around finding his true self after working very hard to perfect his artist persona. How do we find our way out of the shadows and into the light?
Birth Through the Virgin and Child
Continuing our holiday series, Arthur Aghajanian considers how most people see Christmas as the celebration of an individual birth at a certain moment in history, accompanied by portrayals of the Holy Child in churches and on Christmas cards. These images have their place in the religious education of children, he writes. Yet for adults, visualizing the meaning of Christmas in this way often only helps reinforce a limited understanding of what the occasion can mean for us. How does mature Christianity recognize Jesus’s birth?
Picturing Faith
Arthur Aghajanian offers a beautiful consideration of the difference between faith and belief, indicating that faith is an experiential knowing, a sense of connectedness with one’s true nature. How is this different from belief?
Arthur Aghajanian
Writer and Educator | Contributor, Contemplative Light
Arthur Aghajanian is a Christian contemplative, essayist, and educator. His work explores visual culture through a spiritual lens. His essays have appeared in a variety of publications, including Ekstasis, Radix, Saint Austin Review, The Curator, and many others. He holds an M.F.A. from Otis College of Art and Design. Visit him at: https://www.imageandfaith.com/