A Critique of Jonathan Pageau

On doublespeak and symbolic waffle.

Jonathan Pageau, credit: Youtube

Pre-note: here is a series of articles Jonathan suggests offer a written primer to his work, which are worth reading to contextualise my criticisms, and so you can make your own judgement

https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/most-of-the-time-the-earth-is-flat/
https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/where-is-heaven/
https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/heaven-and-earth-in-the-icon/
https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/heaven-round-earth-square/

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I have long since planned to write something about the work of Jonathan Pageau, since I am often asked about my views on what he represents and have mostly deferred the answer. Part of the problem I have and part of the reason I have hesitated is how difficult a lot of what he says actually is to critique or discuss. Rather like his contemporary and friend Jordan Peterson, he feels like he is saying a lot, but if you get a notepad and try to actually note his points, the experience is exasperating.

But unlike Peterson, Pageau is slightly less entangled in politics and culture wars, and as such is notably more benign and perhaps more importantly, actually is Christian in a personal as well as a public sense. I would say at the outset before I get into my issues, that if his symbolic interpretations of Christian stories and art have opened the door to Christianity for some who have found it closed, it’s not my business to object. I do however believe that Pageau on a basic level muddles what symbolism is doing and I think it is important to raise some objections to his liberal application of titles like “the real meaning of the bible” or “the symbolism of the devil explained” and such like. After all if there is a real meaning to any biblical symbol, Pageau by stating said real meaning by definition ironically empties those symbols of their meaning. So let’s wade into it. I’m going to discuss why I find his language frustrating, then in the second half look at what we can actually say about symbolism.