eidololatreia

Eidololatreia is a term used in theology and religious studies to refer to the worship of idols or images. It denotes the practice of venerating physical images, statues, or icons as divine or as mediators of the sacred. In English scholarship the word is often translated as idol worship, with an emphasis on the act of worship directed toward images rather than mere aesthetic or cultural appreciation.

Etymology and usage: Eidololatreia derives from the Greek words eidolon (image, idol) and latreia (worship, service). The compound appears in ancient and later Christian, Jewish, and classical discussions as a label for practices deemed incompatible with exclusive reverence for the divine.

Historical context: In ancient Graeco-Roman religion, statues and images played central roles in many cults, and the degree to which they were venerated varied. In Jewish and Christian contexts, eidololatreia became a charged term used by polemicists to condemn pagan rituals and the worship of multiple deities through images. Early Christian writers frequently deployed the concept to distinguish what they considered false worship from the worship due to the one God.

Modern scholarly usage: Today, eidololatreia is employed to analyze how image-centered cults functioned in various cultures and to explore debates about icon veneration versus idolatry. In contemporary religious studies, the term helps frame discussions about the boundary between reverence shown to religious images and prohibited idolatry, though precise interpretations differ across traditions.

See also: idolatry, icon veneration, dulia, latria, religious imagery.