Stained-Glass Windows in WELS: Artistic Whimsy or Authentic Witness?

Abstract

Stained-glass windows have been a practical and useful staple in the buildings of the Christian church for over a thousand years. The WELS is a beneficiary of this rich heritage. Although many WELS congregations have this beautiful and rich resource, stained-glass windows are often underused, underappreciated, and quickly forgotten. The goal of this paper is to determine whether stained-glass windows are still beneficial for the twenty-first century WELS church. The historical use of the stained-glass windows is investigated and evaluated in the first part of the thesis. After considering the purpose of the windows, contemporary applications are made for the WELS pastor in the second part of the thesis.