Window 9 – The Church in Society

WINDOW 9
The Church in Society

Iconography: Texts—Romans 12:1. “I appeal to you brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship,” and James 1:27. “Pure religion is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Phrases from the Roman 12 passage are written in Arabic, Algonquin American Indian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Swahili as well as English. The window illustrates the role of the church in bringing order and justice to the world, especially through the ministry of the laity of the church and in the vocations to which they are called: Agriculture, Merchant/Business, The Law, Housekeeping, Music and The Fine Arts, The Healing Profession, Engineering, the Crafts and Teaching.

Artist’s Description: On the left side of the window is the figure of Christ superimposed on the globe of the earth. There are two major symbols. One is Caduceus—the symbol for healing and the other is two fish and five loaves—the symbol for feeding the hungry. On the right side of the window, the main symbol is the ship called “Oikumene,” describing the universal or ecumenical church. There are four symbols connected with this portrayal, signifying the major works or goals of the church in society: a book with flaming torch (freedom of religion), a dove with an olive branch and cross (peace in Christ), the Chi Rho symbol (the proclaiming of God’s salvation in Christ) and the cornucopia and the cross (the feeding of the hungry). The faces and the corresponding language examples depict different nationalities and races representing the composition of the church. The small symbols scattered throughout the windows denote the vocations or callings of God’s people.