The Mercy Seat: An Artistic Grammar for Substitutionary Atonement

Abstract: The "mercy seat" identifies a well-known artistic tradition that renders the Trinity for the sake of liturgical contemplation. While there is diversity in depiction, the motif visualizes God the Father holding forth God the Son while God the Spirit hovers as a dove. This essay explores the "mercy seat" tradition as visual theology, one that offers an imaginative grammar for apprehending the complexity of Trinitarian agency present in substitutionary atonement, while also respecting the triune mystery. The mercy seat motif thus offers a case study for how visual art might guide theological reflection and Christian spirituality in general.