An icon is a relationship
Start with three things: the material image, the person depicted, and the action of the viewer. Confusing these makes the whole debate harder.
Key points
- Image: Wood, pigments, and an identifiable likeness. The object remains created matter.
- Person: The subject represented is distinct from the image. A picture of Christ is not a second Christ.
- Honor: The Orthodox claim is that reverence is directed through the image to the person; divine worship belongs to God alone.
- Ask who is being honored, by what action, and whether that action is fitting. A label alone cannot excuse idolatry.