It is fair and proper then to conclude that these men knew and believed that stone cuttings had no influence over Satan. The skilled builders of Notre Dame along with the architects, planners, and artisans knew this scripture just as they also believed in the invisible spiritual world. Stone images of Satan’s demonic servants cannot cast out the real demons, for this would indeed be a house divided. Surely a demon can tell the difference between stone and another demon, and, even if he could not, why would a demon be afraid of another demon?Ī few days ago, as I sat literally in the shadow of Notre Dame’s voluminous gargoyle population, the words of Jesus echoed in my oft-times thick-walled skull, "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself how then will his kingdom stand?" (Matthew 12:26). Using inanimate corporeal stone statuary depicting the invisible living demons and then expecting the actual demons to be fearful of these carvings was illogical to even a young child. "Gargoyles were built into medieval Christian edifices, such as cathedrals, by their superstitious builders to scare away evil spirits from these halls of worship." Or so read (erroneously) history books many years ago when I studied grade-school history.Īt that early time in my life, and later following my salvation, and even now as an aging believer freshly returned from a European vacation, grave doubts about the authenticity of such assertions regarding the alleged superstitious nature of gargoyles bothers me.Īs a child I reasoned that such superstitions were almost wholly outside the frame of reference within true Christianity. Article: Contemplation On Gargoyles, Cathedrals, and Arches of Triumph - The Faithful Ĭontemplation On Gargoyles, Cathedrals, and Arches of TriumphĬopyright © 2002 - All rights retained by author
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