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Martin explains that she was initially captivated by the beauty and mystery of icons, but did not understand their "language." Her goal for Sacred Doorways was to write their alphabet, thereby helping others to understand this ancient Byzantine art form. Icons, Martin explains, are meant to convey Christian truths in a visual form, as a complement to the written Bible.

Sacred Doorways is an ideal book for the Orthodox to pass along to their non-Orthodox friends. For Catholics and Protestants, it will serve as a non-technical, yet comprehensive introduction to help to increase understanding and appreciation of Orthodox spirituality. For the general reader, Sacred Doorways provides an essential guidebook to one of the most ancient religious art forms in the world.

Average Customer Rating:

Beautiful Yet Simple	Customer Rating:
I really liked this book. It is very well written and had a nice way of putting complex ideas into really simple terms.I would say it is the perfect book to give to someone who is trying to find out what iconography is all about.

Sacred Doorways reviewed	Customer Rating:
This book helped me to understand the importance of the icon in the Orthodox faith. There was an extensive overview of the history, meaning and technique involved with icons. I have ordered additional books about the Eastern Orthodox church as a result.

RTurba - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil	Customer Rating:
This is a book for history and art students. The text is very hard. If you are looking for a book with a lot of pictures....believe me buy other...

Understanding of Icons - Art & Religion

Customer Rating:

Linette Martin an Anglican artist has written a very good book for artists and a satisfactory book for those who are trying to understand icons from a religious perspective. This is a very detailed art book which explains how the icon artists approached their work. Ms. Martin ties the art techniques of icons with what she believes are the religious view point of the icon painters. If you are a searcher, one who is looking to convert to the Eastern Church, one who is trying to understand the mystical roles of icons in the religious life of Orthodox Christians, then this book will in my opinion not meet your needs. This is not an easy read. I would say that this book is more of an advanced guide to icons, not a beginner's book, for one who is just starting to investigate Orthodox Christianity. If you are an artist, trying to expand your knowledge of this religious art form, then I can highly recommend this work.

Great Introduction	Customer Rating:
This is a really great introduction to what the symbols, colors, and items mean in iconography. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in iconography.