There has been a wealth of literature addressing the significance of the image struggle known as Byzantine iconoclasm. Why write another book? This pivotal period, while encompassing only a fraction of Byzantine history, had a profound impact on the use of religious imagery, especially within the Orthodox faith. Despite its enduring influence, the nature of this struggle remains a subject of ongoing debate. Philip Jenkins, in his book A Storm of Images: Iconoclasm and Religious Reformation in the Byzantine World, invites us to step back and revisit the discussions surrounding Byzantine iconoclasm in the 8th and 9th centuries.

Byzantine iconoclasm is rife with myths and misconceptions. Foremost, the book points out that the handful of written sources that shaped our understanding of this phenomenon are not without biases and constraints. While several sources agree on key dates related to the historical period of iconoclasm, attributing specific events to those dates proves challenging due to the contentious nature of writings that emerged years after the events. These accounts were influenced by the authors’ contemporary circumstances. As a result, the gravity of events related to iconoclasm may have been exaggerated or misrepresented, and the roles of key figures could have been reassigned or overly emphasized. Moreover, inconsistencies in current scholarship’s representation of iconoclasm as a phenomenon raise the question of how we are to perceive it. Was the presence of images longstanding, making their destruction an act of atrocity? Or were icons a recent innovation, with iconoclasm seen as a corrective return to an original pristine state? Invidiously, historians often isolate the image struggle of the 8th and 9th centuries as a Byzantine issue, thereby stripping Byzantium of its Roman identity and separating it from broader societal contexts, particularly Jewish and Muslim influences. This narrow view, for instance, places Jews and Muslims at the root of Byzantine struggles, implying that by the 8th century, it was the attitude towards images that exacerbated tensions between Byzantine Christianity and these other faiths. Anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim polemics, however, were continuations of controversies from earlier centuries that might have originated from broader religious grounds. This prompts another question: was the upheaval primarily about images, or was it part of a larger societal reformation? This book exposes the gaps and inconsistencies in the sources used by scholars to construct the history of Byzantine iconoclasm. It also establishes a foundation for historians to explore creative approaches in addressing subjects of history that are obscured by vagueness, legends, and biases. As part of his creative method, the author broadens the field by examining other societies. This approach not only helps confirm the plausibility of interpretations of events concerning images in Byzantium but also illustrates how these events shaped those societies and influenced their subsequent actions over time. Also, by carefully laying out the broader landscape of events and geographies, the author situates Byzantine iconoclasm within the larger context of Europe as a whole. In doing so, the author proposes a view of Byzantine iconoclasm not merely as an isolated event, but as a Roman and even a Christian problem, finding parallels — though not direct ones — in later instances of iconoclasm such as the Protestant Reformation in Western Europe.

This book is organized as an unfolding chronology of events, personalities, and debates, starting from the first wave of iconoclasm in the early 8th century and continuing to the Triumph of Orthodoxy in the mid-9th century. Chapter 1 sets the stage for understanding potential issues in how we construe the narrative of the image struggle of the 8th and 9th centuries. It exposes the pitfalls of the debatable nature of sources, which lead to blurry boundaries between myths and reality. Chapter 2 focuses on the events leading to Emperor Leo III’s rise to power and contextualizes the issue within the broader Roman Christian realm, rather than limiting it to the Byzantine context alone. In Chapter 3, the author explores the complexities and uncertainties surrounding Leo’s initiation of iconoclasm, suggesting that Leo’s actions against images may not have been as revolutionary as they are often portrayed in the literature. In Chapter 4, the author brings other societies into the conversation, particularly Jews and Muslims, as part of his methodology to provide an expanded view of the events surrounding the first wave of iconoclasm. Chapter 5 delves into the theology of images and shows that attacks on images were successful because they were rooted in theological concerns, with Christological debates forming the foundation of the issues. Chapter 6 continues addressing numerous misconceptions and the confusing patterns of argumentation used in image polemics, even at the highest levels, such as the Second Council of Nicaea. Chapter 7 gives the stage to the fiercest iconoclastic emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantine V. Internally, revolts arose, but these were not solely reactions to image smashing; Constantine’s reign was marked by a series of repressions against monasteries and the institution of monasticism in general. Chapter 8 describes the brief period of relief that arrived with the rule of Irene and highlights the one-sidedness of sources and the vagueness of the political landscape of the time. Chapter 9 describes the resurgence of iconoclasm, the theatrical staging of “Constantine’s return,” and the ultimate Triumph of Orthodoxy, which was equally dramatic. The last two chapters discuss the legacies and impacts of iconoclasm, with its influence extending into later history. The author presents the renewed and intensified cult of images and its spread into the wider ecumenical world, shaping the Orthodox world as we know it today. These chapters also attempt to weave the general principles of iconoclasm into the global historical narrative, particularly regarding future European events such as the 16th-century Reformation. The author concludes with the proposition that any struggle over images — whether in creating them or challenging their existence — is neither inherently good nor bad, but rather constitutes “a fundamental component of the human religious experience.” This book is an engaging read suitable for both scholars and non-specialists. To the author’s credit, it reads like a piece of historical fiction in the spirit of true Byzantine drama, with key characters such as generals turned emperors, vindictive women in power, and reclusive monks orchestrating public revolts making special appearances.