1. He sees everything. Even you, Matthew.
CHRIST the teacher
He sees everything. Even you, Matthew.

2. A KING WITHOUT A CROWN, OR SCEPTRE
Although ruler of all, Christ is not pictured with a crown or sceptre as other kings of this world.

3. RULER OF ALL
The word Pantocrator is of Greek origin meaning "ruler of all". Christ Pantocrator is an icon of Christ represented full or half-length and full-faced. He holds the book of the Gospels in his left hand and blesses with his right hand.
The icon portrays Christ as the Righteous Judge and the Lover of Mankind, both at the same time. The Gospel is the book by which we are judged, and the blessing proclaims God's loving kindness toward us, showing us that he is giving us his forgiveness.

4. Meaning of the gospel & halo
Holding a Gospel declaring: "I am the Light of the world" Christ blesses the beholder. In these icons of Christ. His halo includes the letters "I AM," symbolizing His divinity and referring to His words, "Before Abraham was, I AM." The Greek letters "IC" and "XC" in the upper corners of the icon are abbreviations of the Greek words for "Jesus"" and "Christ. "

5. PARTS OF THE ICON TWO FRONDS OF HAIR: DIVINITY, HUMANITY
HIGH CURVED FOREHEAD: WISDOM
LARGE EYES: LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SOUL
SMALL MOUTH: THE SILENCE OF CONTEMPLATION
RED: HUMANITY
BLUE: DIVINITY
THREE FINGERS: TRINITY
GOSPEL: IT SPILLS OVER THE EDGE BECAUSE GOD’S WORD CANNOT BE CONTAINED

6. CHRIST the PANTOCRATOR

7. TATTOOS Why do people get tattoos?
In today’s time, who often gets tattoos?
What do they signify?
How are they done?

8. Flannery O’Connor - Biography
Flannery O’Connor was born on March 25, 1925, in Savannah, Georgia. Her father died of lupus when she was a teenager. She studied writing at the University of Iowa and published “The Geranium,” her first short story, in She wrote novels, but was best known for her short story collections. Many of her characters battle their own inadequacies while trying to understand the work of the Divine in their lives. She died of lupus in 1964 after fighting it for more than 10 years. – taken from biography.com

9. 1. What first inspired Parker to get tattoos?
Read the short story “Parker’s Back.” It is about a non-religious man who is inspired to get a tattoo of Christ the Teacher. Then complete the following questions.
1. What first inspired Parker to get tattoos?
2.Define epiphany. Locate Parker’s epiphany.
3.Define allusion and find two examples of this in the story.
4.At the old woman’s farm, Parker was pushed from his tractor by a tree after yelling, “GOD ABOVE!” The tree burst into flames, quickly eating his shoes. Compare Parker’s epiphany with the one Moses experienced in Exodus 3:4.
5.Define double-entendre. Now that Parker has a tattoo of Christ on his back, what other meaning does this tattoo have? Is there also another expression that can be applied to this?
6.Why was it important for Parker to have this tattoo?
7.Define the term idolatry. What does Sarah Ruth find idolatrous about Parker’s tattoo?
8.What was Sarah Ruth’s response? Is her response typical of most people when they are met with an image of Christ?
9.Describe the image of the tattoo in the final scene of the story. To which event from Christ’s life does this allude?