“A Haunting Icon” by Dr. Mark Medley

“A Haunting Icon” by Dr. Mark Medley

Dr. Mark Medley, BSK’s Professor of Theology, contributes regularly to The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd’s blog. His most recent blog post was entitled, “A Haunting Icon” and addresses the recent cover art of the New Yorker, which included art from Kadir Nelson entitled, “Say Their Names.” This piece of art depicts George Floyd and the faces of other black people in America on which violence was afflicted. Medley describes this piece as an “icon” saying,

“Let me encourage you to gaze upon this arresting and amazing piece of art.  Let it be an icon of this moment and of the history of racial injustice and terror in America.  As with all icons, pray with this image. Gaze, pray, and meditate upon the image as a whole as well as the multiple images within the image.  Through this image, pray to our just and merciful God. Pray to the black Christ as you contemplate this image.  Pray for the memory of the crucified bodies of black people; pray for our black brothers and sisters, and black communities, who are being crucified today.  Pray with this icon multiple times.  Over the course of several days.” 

To read Dr. Medley’s blog post in full, click here.