The Burning Bush: Mary as a Prototype for Sacred Art and an Archetype of the Life of Faith

The Scala Foundation is pleased to invite you to our next online interactive discussion featuring the iconographer Jonathan Pageau on January 30, 2023, from 12-1 PM ET. You can RSVP by filling out the form on the right side of this page or by emailing events@scalafoundation.org. Jonathan Pageau is one of today’s leading iconographers and a widely-sought after public speaker who excels at plumbing Scripture and tradition to explore the rich symbolism of Christianity, including that of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Images of Mary, the mother of Jesus, abound in nearly every Christian culture. To understand Mary’s role in salvation, scholars often refer to Scriptural images such as the burning bush in Exodus. Why are there so many symbols that reflect on the meaning of Mary’s life? How is it that one woman has been so influential in the individual identity of so many people, the formation of the church, and the memory of nations? What does it mean to say that reality is veiled through symbols? How does Marian reveal universal archetypes—that is, models of a life of faith?

Scala’s Executive Director Margarita Mooney Clayton will serve as the host of this interactive conversation. As a sociologist and contextual theologian, Mooney Clayton has written on and taught about Marian devotion among Italian, Haitian and Mexican immigrants to the United States as well as African-Americans. This online event will be structured as a seminar—a guided discussion in which the audience may interact with the hostess and guest speaker. Pageau will further explore the symbolic meanings of Scripture at his keynote address at Scala’s April 21-22, 2023, conference, Art, the Sacred and the Common Good on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary.

Please register for this unique event about one of the most intriguing women in history by filling out the form on this page or emailing events@scalafoundation.org! We will record the event and be sure to send the link to anyone who registers.

And if you haven’t done so already, register to join us in-person or via livestream for Scala’s annual conference from April 21-22, 2023, featuring artists such as Pageau!