Do Orthodox Christians have statues/images of Jesus, Mary, Saints etc in their Churches and homes?

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I don’t think they have statues either in churches or at home. They use images that are called icons.
 
The ones I have come from the time I was Roman Catholic, or were given to me by my protestant family after my RC grandparents died. I wouldn’t buy more. Not because I think they’re wrong so much as often incorrect theology and not conducive to Orthodox spirituality.

There are very, very, very rarely statues in our temples. Western Orthodox parishes are different of course, but even there statues are not treated with the same veneration and regarded as tools of spirituality as Icons are.
 
I have met a few Russian Orthodox people who carry icons with them everywhere, as well as having them in their homes.

That said, I know a few Anglicans who have icons in their homes, including myself.
 
There’s evidence of religious statues in the Byzantine Empire I think up to around the very early second millennium. But as Rawb said, the theology geared towards icons. I think it is after the Seventh Ecumenical Council when the use of images started to have better definition. So things developed from then until it is almost 2-dimensional images only.

Note that icons aren’t only “paintings”. There are icons that are carvings or knitted. Basically they have to be 2-dimension.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Note that icons aren’t only “paintings”. There are icons that are carvings or knitted. Basically they have to be 2-dimension.
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This is true. I’ve seen some beautiful carved Icons which were meant to be for the blind. This site has some, though their “Tenderness” is very unusual.

But as Constantine said, I still wouldn’t consider this statuary. I mainly posted so people could get an idea of these bas relief Icons, because I think they’re so beautiful.
 
Icons are more beautiful, sugestive, cover the full area of important subjects, easy to reproduce, easier to handle and cheaper. Statues have grandeur.
 
ConstantineTG said:
There’s evidence of religious statues in the Byzantine Empire I think up to around the very early second millennium. But as Rawb said, the theology geared towards icons. I think it is after the Seventh Ecumenical Council when the use of images started to have better definition. So things developed from then until it is almost 2-dimensional images only.
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Here’s one rare example of a three-dimensional image, from 16th century Russia:

http://images2.bridgemanart.com/cgi-bin/bridgemanImage.cgi/400wm.BOO.645770.7055475/74367.jpg
Note that icons aren’t only “paintings”. There are icons that are carvings or knitted. Basically they have to be 2-dimension.
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The Blachernitissa:



Also add those high-relief ivory icons from the 10th-11th centuries:



http://www.west86th.bgc.bard.edu/images/content/1/0/1004539.jpg

 
Typically the standard for orthodox is flat images, non carved images. Though I have heard that some churches have such statues, I have never seen it.
 
Reliefs are acceptable in Orthodoxy, although they are not too commonly used these days outside of certain metallic objects like crosses and Ripidia.
 
God hates images:

‘For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.’ Psalm 78:58

‘Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.’ Hosea 10:2

‘And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.’ Deuteronomy 12:3

‘But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:’ Exodus 34:13

‘Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.’ Exodus 23:24

The true Gospel is faith alone in Christ alone:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
 
=nightingale12;9954787]God hates images:
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‘For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.’ Psalm 78:58
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‘**Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their **images.’ Hosea 10:2
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‘And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break** their **pillars, and burn **their **groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of **them **out of that place.’ Deuteronomy 12:3
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‘But ye shall destroy** their altars, break their images, and cut down their **groves:’ Exodus 34:13
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‘Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve** them**, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow** them**, and quite break down their images.’ Exodus 23:24
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Which of these verses refer to the altars of the true God? Are these not references to images of false gods and false beliefs?
The true Gospel is faith alone in Christ alone:
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For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
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Right. What does that have to do with a painting of Christ, or a statue of the Virgin Mary, or a crucifix?

Jon
 
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