THE SYMBOLS SPEAK

How symbols display our basic doctrines and teachings

THE WEST WINDOW“Christian

Fundamentals”

W

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T

w i n d o w s, stained glass, replacing the plain

glass, was installed with the . . .

In 1966, in the

W

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. . . 12 symbols already embedded in them

CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALS

The West Window

The West Window

CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALS

12 symbols

Left section

THE WORD OF GOD

1 THE WORD OF GOD The Gospel

Latin cross Most common form

of Christian cross Symbolizes the

Gospel part of God’s Word

As a personal symbol, it shows one as being of the Christian faith

2 THE WORD OF GOD The Law

Two tablets of stone representing the two tables of the Law

Table 1 = Love God

Table 2 = Love your neighbor

Exodus 20

3 THE WORD OF GOD The Bible

Oil lamp The Bible, the

Holy Scriptures Represents Psalm

119.105: “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

4 THE WORD OF GOD The Lord’s Prayer

Open Bible with a sprig of wheat and a communion wafer

Word “PETITIONS” (requests) underneath Looking at our daily

bread as the Bread of Life--Jesus

Matthew 6.9-13

Center section

TRINITARIAN GODHEAD

5 TRINITARIAN GODHEAD The Trinity

Triangle & trefoil (interlocking circles)

God is “triune”--3 in 1 Artist’s abstract way

of showing complexity of equality, unity, and eternity all in one figure

On front of altar also

6 TRINITARIAN GODHEAD The Father

Upright hand Sign of blessing

with 3-rayed nimbus sur-rounding it showing divinity

About 100 references to God’s hand appear in the Old Testament

7 TRINITARIAN GODHEAD The Son

Chi rho--the 1st two Greek letters of Christ

Stands for Jesus Christ, the Son of God

One of earliest symbols to be used in the Christian church

8 TRINITARIAN GODHEAD The Holy Spirit

Dove with 3 rays coming off the beak and the nimbus circling the head

The 3 rays indicate the Trinity and the nimbus shows it is part of the Godhead

The Spirit was seen as a dove at Jesus’ Baptism

Right section

SACRAMENTS & RITES

All sacraments are ritesNot all rites are sacraments

9 SACRAMENTS & RITES Holy Baptism

Shell with 3 drops of water showing that Baptism is done in the name of the Triune God (Mt 28)

A sacrament

10 SACRAMENTS & RITES Confirmation

Dove with nimbus and 7 rays radiating outward

Seven rays indicate the 7 gifts of the Spirit referred to in the confirmation ceremony

A rite

11 SACRAMENTS & RITES Marriage

Complex symbol: cross--Savior’s blessing candles--light of Christ in the new home entwined circles--unity water--living water of Christ in marriage

A rite

12 SACRAMENTS & RITES Holy Communion

Grapes and wheat are the most familiar symbol for the Lord’s Supper

Wheat = bread/body

Grapes = wine/blood

Mt 26.26-28, Mk 14.22-24, Lk 22.19-20, 1 Cor 11.23-25

A sacrament

The West Window

End of this section

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