From Object to Icon

The Struggle for Spiritual Vision in a Pornographic World

By: Andrew Williams

Narrated by: Andrew Williams

Since the advent of the internet, it has become increasingly obvious that our society suffers from a pornography problem—and Orthodox Christians are no exception. While many practical resources are available to help those who struggle with pornography use, these fail to address the problem at its deeper, spiritual root.

From Object to Icon offers a solution by showing all of us how to change the way we see—how to see iconographically rather than pornographically. Whether or not we struggle with pornography use, this book shows us how to stop objectifying others and instead see the spiritual reality in everyone we encounter.

©2023 Andrew Williams (P)2023 Andrew Williams

Recommended to all! Not just those concerned with pornography

This is GOSPEL! Porn here is but an entry point for a discussion of sin, the human predicament, repentance, and redemption. While some terms may be new to non-Orthodox, honestly I think this is a beautiful introduction to Orthodox Christian theology, filled with hope, truth, and substance.

Great book

Not just pornography but can be applied in objectifying others in general and the masks we all wear.

Seeing the Image of God in Others

A wonderful book about seeing the image of God in others. This book may reform your thinking about how you see and interact with everyone else in your life, whether you struggle with s*xual sin or not. We all too often fail to recognize the image of God in others, and this book has a beautiful way of showing how to see the person in front of you as you would an icon. Highly recommended.

Eye opening!

For anyone seeking to understand icons, revealing them as the antithesis of pornographic images is eye opening!

Beautifully written and full of theological depth

If you’re cradle Orthodox you may not appreciate how utterly remarkable this book is. But wow it is a masterpiece.

Coming to Orthodoxy from an evangelical background, I had previously read “Every Man’s Battle” and other similar books. Even at the time those books seemed hollow and even colored by a gnostic distaste towards embodiment. I studied the scriptures deeply at that time and realized something deep was missing from the evangelical theology of embodiment. What was missing was the theology of the bodily resurrection, and of icons, and of the sacraments.

When I found orthodox Christianity it seemed obvious to me that this tradition had maintained precisely the needed antidote for the cultural disaster of the sexual revolution and the pornographic view of embodiment that infects American Christianity.

That is where this book absolutely shines. Williams makes the deep riches of our theology and faith directly accessible to struggling sinners like me. It is written with compassion, and love and kindness, yet never shrinking back from calling for deep repentance and healing of the heart. He never once gives in to gnostic tendencies like blaming of women bodies for men’s struggles. Instead, embodiment and sexuality are seen iconographicly, calling us “further up and further in” to the life of God.

This book needs to be in every parish in America. And now I’m going to listen through it again.