Morgan, David. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. 417 + xiv pp.
$42.00 (USD). ISBN: 0-19-513029-4.
[1] In this groundbreaking work, David Morgan tackles the history
of Protestants and their use of religious imagery in teaching and
devotion. The combination of Protestantism and pictures might seem
out of place to some because of the association of Catholics and devotional
images, but the author diligently proves that Protestants, despite
early iconoclasm, relied on pictures in their religious lives as well.
Morgan, however, provides the reader with more than a discussion of
the aforementioned; he examines the mass production of images in the
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and its impact on religion
in America. In fact, the author demonstrates a new way to "look"
at and nuance American religious history by placing the image at the
center of his study of American religious life.
[2] Morgan begins his work with a discussion of Walter Benjamin's
1936 essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction."
Benjamin posits that the essence or "aura" of the original
work is lost because of the mass production of images. One of Morgan's
goals is to show that the aura is not lost but "graphically transmissible"
to believers who use the religious imagery (6). The author also wants
to demonstrate that Protestants used imagery both that taught ("didactic
imagery") as well as those "that were contemplated in the
quiet of chapels, sanctuaries, bedrooms, and living rooms" ("devotional
imagery") (9). This process began as a desire to instruct children
and the "unconverted" and slowly evolved to a visual piety
that formed one's character.
[3] The book - broken down into four parts ("The Millennial Mission
of the American Republic," "Adventism and Images of the
Mind," "Visual Pedagogy," and "The Rise of the
Devotional Image in American Protestantism") - begins with a visual
journey that moves from a discussion of the American Tract Society,
to premillennialist use of imagery in their charts and tables, to
"chalk-talking" in Sunday schools, to the meaning in the
face of Jesus (that could be determined by phrenology). The author
clearly demonstrates the Protestant reliance upon imagery and the
elaborate systems developed around the imagery to incorporate into
denominations and organizations. Morgan's work is quite long yet remains
interesting and informative chapter after chapter because of his writing
style and the richness of the history of these visual religious practices.
At times, however, the details can be overwhelming, and the reader
is apt to get lost in the minutiae and miss the main arguments of
each section. The attention to detail is also understandable given
his desire to prove (beyond a doubt) the Protestant use of religious
imagery and their reliance on mass production. By far, his best work
appears in Part III ("Visual Pedagogy"), where he examines
the didactic imagery used to "attract" children to "evangelical
learning," Sunday school, and benevolent societies (201). Teachers
and colporteurs realized quickly that children were fond of pictures,
and thus they molded this fondness into methods of inculcation such
as their use of the blackboard, hieroglyphic Bibles, and drawing.
Morgan explains how the blackboard, which is a tool that is often
taken for granted or ignored, has played an important role in the
religious education of tens of thousands of Protestant children. These
children associated art and imagery with their religious experience,
which established an intimate connection between art, religion, and
visual culture in American religious history.
[4] Morgan begins and ends his work with the aura of images. His
discussion of this concept as a power that images impress upon the
viewer is convincing because he confirms that this power is transmissible
despite reproduction. Protestants have been swayed by the authenticity
of these religious images and have used them in didactic as well as
devotional settings. Overall, Morgan's work is a great addition to
the study of visual culture and American religious history, demonstrating
that this is a new avenue ready to be explored. Anyone in the field
of religious studies would benefit from reading this book because
of its perspective on the importance of images and their influence
on the religious. Morgan's indices are also a treasure trove for those
involved in religious studies, cultural studies, or American history.
Kelly J. Baker
Department of Religion
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
kjb6056@fsu.edu
