why do religious images in the midieval period tend to use highly stylized or abstract art?

Answer 1

stylized is easy. As most people were illiterate and the stories needed to be recognizable they used stylized stuff to make clear who was who. Like cowboys with white and black hats.

Abstract? I do not recall any abstract art from that period. They even made abstractions into stylized iconography like doves halo's and clouds with silver linings.

Answer 2

The religious images in that period are not abstract or stylize but because that icons are made by priests they want to paint the spirit ,the soul of all that saints,and the religion is dedicated to the soul not to the body.

Answer 3

Good question, I have studied art history and I believe most religious icons are stylized because they wanted the images to be recognizabe to all religions, languages etc. If an image is too complicated, one type of person may not recgnize it. The religious images back then needed to be UNIVERSAL to be accepted and recognized bu all people.