The worship of Jina images is a long-standing practice among most Jains and has served as a topic of study for scholars of South Asian religion since the late 1980s. While many studies have examined practical aspects of image worship in Jainism (the who, where, and how), there has been only limited research conducted on the ways in which image worship is explained, defended, and even criticized in Jain textual traditions. In his book Framing the Jina: Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History, John E. Cort explores how Jain narratives spanning more than 1,500 years account for the worship of Jina images. Cort centers his investigation on narratives produced by icon-worshipping Śvetāmbaras and Digambaras, with a greater emphasis on Śvetāmbara texts. For iconoclastic accounts, Cort turns to the writings of Sthānakavāsī communities within Śvetāmbara Jainism.

In the introduction, Cort establishes his framework for analyzing the vast corpus of textual material. He begins with an examination of two twentieth-century narratives, which he uses to illustrate opposing sides of the image debate. For icon-worshipping Jains, the practice of worshipping sacred icons is a proper, even necessary, part of Jain ritual culture. For iconoclastic communities, Jina images are seen as false idols, and their worship is perceived as a corrupt accretion to original Jainism. While iconoclastic narratives are relatively modern (emerging in the last 500 years), Cort convincingly argues that there is, in actuality, a long history of anxiety about image worship. This anxiety is found in early pro-icon narratives in which the authors have taken great lengths to defend images and their worship. One of the greatest contributions of this book is Cort's ability to give “voice” to what has been typically viewed as a modern concern.

As Framing the Jina addresses the reception of image worship, Cort's first chapter is a study of early Jina sculptures. This chapter presents the origin and early history of Jina images and provides an in-depth look at how this material has been treated in archaeological and art historical scholarship. Countering the general characterization of the Jina image as an “uninteresting” art form, Cort argues that Jina images actually exhibit subtle forms of inventiveness while maintaining the primacy of the Jina's meditating body. This is achieved by artists in a variety of ways including presenting the Jina's body serially, in silhouette, and/or with an elaborate framework (parikara). While Cort briefly mentions the importance of the eight attending features (prātihārya) often found within the Jina's parikara, I would have liked to see a longer discussion of these elements as they, as Cort himself notes, “are where the sculptor could exhibit the greatest innovation” (p. 22). The last sections of this chapter focus on the formal properties of the Jina's body, particularly in terms of its symmetry and expression of geometry. Here, Cort provides a captivating analysis of Jina images in light of twentieth-century minimalist aesthetics.

In chapters 2–4, Cort turns to explanations of image worship found in the textual material. One narrative strategy employed by icon-worshipping Jains emphasizes the eternal nature of Jina icons and their worship by gods in various regions of the Jain cosmos. As these acts and locations fall outside any historical origin of devotional practices, they serve as an effective argument against the criticism that image worship is a human construction that is ultimately fallible. Other narratives explored by Cort more directly explain the presence of images and temples in India today. These include accounts of erecting and renovating temples at important pilgrimage sites as well as stories of images that were created (sometimes divinely) during the lifetime of a Jina.

How iconoclastic communities address these pro-icon narratives, some of which are found in authoritative scriptural texts, is examined by Cort in chapter 5. Strategies employed by these authors include relying solely on root texts, disregarding what are perceived to be “corrupted” commentaries, and/or creatively reinterpreting passages to alter specific references to image worship. In chapter 6, Cort further explores twentieth-century narratives and considers how arguments for and against the worship of Jina images draw support from religious and cultural groups outside Jainism, a development indicative of modernization and globalization.

While this book allows readers to gain entry into Jain narratives and ritual practices, this is not a book solely about Jainism. In every chapter, Cort provides relevant comparative material from other religious traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. By doing so, Cort dismantles any monolithic understanding of icons and iconoclasm and forces us to consider the various interpretive frames that are employed in these narratives. In short, this book is essential for scholars who are interested in image worship and the ways in which religious communities defend or reject such practices.