Icons of Reconciliation

Abstract

This article explores how contemporary Anglican worship integrates traditional Eastern Orthodox iconography with distinctively Anglican commitments to justice and reconciliation. Through historical reflection and theological analysis, the author argues that Anglican iconography uniquely emphasizes “social holiness,” blending devotional practice with public witness and activism. Focusing on three prominent icons at General Theological Seminary—Alexander Crummell, Florence Li Tim-Oi, and Pauli Murray—the article illustrates how these icons embody Anglicanism’s evolving understanding of sainthood, highlighting active commitments to racial justice, gender equality, and intersectional reconciliation. Drawing from Rowan Williams and David Brown, the article demonstrates how Anglican iconography synthesizes Orthodox spirituality with Anglican theological sensibilities, engaging worshippers in both contemplation and ethical transformation. Ultimately, the icons discussed serve not only as devotional images but also as catalysts for communal repentance, reflection, and action, representing a lived theology committed to transformative public witness and embodying the Episcopal Church’s contemporary pursuit of justice and reconciliation.