Epistle of James- entering the first century

A sample of the artwork from the epistle to James. As the letter does not indicate who it is spoken to, I am broadly addressing the words of James to the Church as it is scattered across time and geography. The first verses will be set against the backdrop of the first century Church, here seen gathering in a Roman catacomb. As I imagine the church at that time, it must have been a mix of the harsh reality of the suffering of Christians, with the joyous fellowship that is described in the church at the time. There is a symbolic movement from the darkness of the grave to the light of life in Christ and in the community of his followers. The presence of artwork in the catacombs also offers a great entry into the visual images that are suggested in James 1, which I intend to render in the mosaic and fresco styles of the times.