“Catholics are Idol Worshipers!”
This is a common accusation that is often hurled at Catholics by various Anti-Catholic Protestants. This is due to a huge misunderstanding of the difference between veneration and worship. It is no secret to the postmodern world that Catholics love statues. We make statues of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the Saints. Not just statues, but icons, pictures, murals, paintings, and so much more. We also love to venerate these images. For example, you will often see Catholics kneel and pray in front of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, or another Saint. You might also see Catholics bow to a statue of Our Lady or even kiss a religious icon of a Saint upon entering an Eastern rite Catholic Church. At this point you’re probably thinking “that’s worship”. However, these acts in of themselves are not acts of worship.
In the Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church teaches that idolatry is committed “by worshipping idols and images as God or believing that they possess any divinity or virtue entitling them to our worship, by praying to, or reposing confidence in them.” (374) To be clearer, the current Catechism of the Catholic Church states “the Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype, and whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it. The honor paid to sacred images is a respectful veneration, not the adoration due to God alone.” (2132) In making the distinction between actions of veneration and worship, the Church is clearly establishing that idol worship is in fact, a disposition of the heart. Just because someone kisses a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary or kneels in front of an icon of Jesus, does not mean they are worshiping it.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church re-affirms this by stating that these acts of veneration are “not directed to images in themselves” but that these acts are “toward that whose image it is.” (2132) In other words, when we honor a statue of the Blessed Virgin, our honor isn’t to the statue itself, but to who it represents. If Anti-Catholic Protestants claim that acts of vernation to sacred images or statues are worship, it is up to them to demonstrate that they possess the gift to read the interior disposition of a person.
In 2006, the Southern Baptist Convention erected a statue of the famous evangelist Billy Graham. “The sculpture features a seven-foot-tall depiction of Graham standing beside a 17-foot cross. Graham’s arms are open wide, an open Bible rests in his left hand and [the] evangelist’s mouth is open in full Gospel proclamation. At the foot of the cross rest three nails and a stone inscribed with the words of John 3:16.”[1] This statue is for the purpose of honoring a noble man who traveled the world to preach about Jesus. It is for future generations to look at and venerate Graham and his ministry. This is what Catholics do with our statues as well. We make statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary to honor her for the exclusive role she participates in salvation history. To remind future generations of the fact that she gave her “yes” to God, allowing the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity to enter time and die for our sins.
Now, some Southern Baptists might object by pointing out that they wouldn’t bow down to worship the Graham statue. To which I would reply, I very well hope they wouldn’t! If any Catholic would bow down to a statue of any Saint to worship it, that would be a grave sin. However, let’s say Billy Grahams’ grandson would want to kiss the statue of this grandfather. Would that be an act of worship? Of course not. If it was, those of us who have kissed pictures of our mothers better get the sackcloth and ashes out of the closet. What about the kneeling?
Grahams’ grandson wouldn’t kneel in front of his grandfather’s statue. Again, kneeling is not intrinsically an act of worship. In kneeling to his mother Bathsheba, did King Solomon worship her in 1 Kings 2:19? No, he didn’t.
The accusation that Catholics worship statues is false. It is a position that is grounded in error and Anti-Catholic sentiments. In a day when so much information is available to the public regarding this issue, it is no longer a serious position to maintain. Thus, I encourage my fellow Catholics, if an Anti-Catholic expresses this falsity, you should teasingly encourage them to join a mind reader guild. Joking aside, Catholics, know your faith. Prepare yourself in charity, and “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you” about the faith. (1 Peter 3:15) In the end, Christ wants even the Anti-Catholics to become Catholic, remember that.
[1] About the AuthorJeff RobinsonJeff Robinson is director of news and information at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Read All by Jeff Robinson ›, and Jeff RobinsonJeff Robinson is director of news and information at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Read All by Jeff Robinson ›. “Southern Baptists Dedicate Statue of Billy Graham.” Baptist Press, June 15, 2006. https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/southern-baptists-dedicate-statue-of-billy-graham/.