The "iconoclast controversy" refers to a significant conflict in the Byzantine Empire during the 8th and 9th centuries over the use of religious images, or icons. Supporters of icons, known as iconodules, believed that these images were essential for worship and spiritual connection. In contrast, iconoclasts argued that the veneration of icons was idolatrous and contrary to Christian teachings. This controversy led to a series of imperial edicts and church councils, resulting in periods of iconoclasm where icons were destroyed and their use was banned. The conflict ultimately shaped the development of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and influenced the relationship between church and state in the Byzantine Empire.