Worship of Icons

[Scott]

Can anyone point to any good resources (exegetical and otherwise) replying to Catholic distinctions between different levels of worhsip, latria, dulia, and hyperdulia? I think it is helpful that they admit that veneration of icons is a form of worship of the icons, even if they argue that it is some lesser form, such as dulia.

For those not familiar with the distinctions, here is an excerpt from the Catholic Encyclopedia's entry on "Worship, Christian:"

"There are several degrees of this worship:

> if it is addressed directly to God, it is superior, absolute, supreme worship, or worship of adoration, or, according to the consecrated theological term, a worship of latria. This sovereign worship is due to God alone; addressed to a creature it would become idolatry.

> When worship is addressed only indirectly to God, that is, when its object is the veneration of martyrs, of angels, or of saints, it is a subordinate worship dependent on the first, and relative, in so far as it honours the creatures of God for their peculiar relations with Him; it is designated by theologians as the worship of dulia, a term denoting servitude, and implying, when used to signify our worship of distinguished servants of God, that their service to Him is their title to our veneration (cf. Chollet, loc. cit., col. 2407, and Bouquillon, Tractatus de virtute religionis, I, Bruges, 1880, 22 sq. ) .

> As the Blessed Virgin has a separate and absolutely supereminent rank among the saints, the worship paid to her is called hyperdulia (for the meaning and history of these terms see Suicer, Thesaurus ecclesiasticus, 172 ."

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Who needs any more condemnation? Indirect worship? Pure sophistry.