A Century Gone- St. Ignatius Lives on in the Baroque

Ignatius of Loyola or St. Ignatius (1491-1556) founded the Society of Jesus in 1534 or commonly known now as the Jesuits. This religious organization admitted men, stressed obedience, and centralized education in preparing their members to serve those who needed help in the world. St. Ignatius represents one major success of the Catholic Reformation, as missionary work, education, and theology flourished within the society’s growth during the period (Zophy 257-260) To demonstrate the lasting legacy of Ignatius, I looked at a fresco painted a century after the death of the Saint himself. The Apotheosis of St. Ignatius was painted in the late 17^th century by Andrea Pozzo, a Jesuit baroque painter (Vanderbilt Digital Library). Overall, this work designates the impact of the Roman Catholic Reformation, a contemporaneous influence alongside the Protestant movement at the time. Moreover, this signals the transition in artwork towards the Baroque period, a style of excess that perhaps reflects some of the religious upheavals still affecting society even a century later.

The painting resides in the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome. As you can see, there’s vivid color and a large array of figures, with Ignatius ascending to heaven in the center of the fresco. The fresco itself creates a sense of daunting height and slightly of chaos. There’s also a distinct portrayal of light and altogether, the ornamentation of the Baroque period comes through. This cultural remnant of a later period imparts the very real notion that reform was active and influential within the Catholic Church during the Reformation period, not just outside of it.

Image & Info- 

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl

Extra link- This video is about a different altarpiece by Pozzo of St. Ignatius in a nearby chapel. Has some general information about the style and the significance of a similar work by the same artist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3vkqYgJ93c

Why don't the contemporary Anabaptists (usually) use contemporary technology?

Recently, in his show Family Guy, philosopher and funnyman Seth Macfarlane mocked the traditions of Amish people. He had an Amish character saying, "We know that God wanted us to have just the right amount of technology they had in the 1800s, not too much not too little." While I'm sure the joke was intended to mock the religious and illicit laughter from the audience, it does raise an interesting question:

 Why don't the Amish use contemporary technology? At one point in time they were using contemporary technology. They must have used the same buggies, the same horse-drawn plows, etc., that other groups of people were using in the 1800s. Its not like the 1800s anabaptists were using medieval farming technology while 1800s Catholics were using 1800s technology.

One explanation I found sheds a lot of light on this question, and totally debunks the assertion of the great thinker Seth Macfarlane.

According to the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, the Amish are not anti-technology. Rather, the Amish use technology more selectively. The Amish see contemporary technology, specifically mass media technology, as a means to undermine local traditions which they wish to preserve. Moreover, the Amish fear that mass media technology as well as dependency on things from outside the community will increase rates of assimilation and eventually lead to the extinguishing of their way of life. 

For example, the Amish do use electricity. However, they do not get their electricity from city utilities or power lines. Many Amish purchase batteries and use solar power to charge them. This way they can power lights, use power tools, use typewriters, and many other things without relying on the outside world. However, most communities outright ban the use of things like computers, televisions, radios, and other things which may take outside values and inject them into the community.

Battery powered electric lamp in an Amish home

Buggy with battery powered lights

Therefore, the Amish to not reject technology because "God wanted us to have just the amount of technology they had in the 1800s", but they reject some forms and closely regulate others for purely secular and cultural reasons. 


Sources of information and photos:

https://groups.etown.edu/amishstudies/cultural-practices/technology/
http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2013/09/02/217287028/amish-community-not-anti-technology-just-more-thoughful