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Window of the Month
Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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Window

Building Name: First United Methodist Church

Studio Name: Willet Hauser Architectural Glass

City: Birmingham

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Date of Window: 1959

Subject/Title of Window: Evangelists Luke and John

Brief Description of Subject: This window is located to the left of the altar in what was originally named the "Prayer Chapel." After the retirement of Pastor Arnold F. Runkel, it was renamed in his honor as the "Runkel Chapel."

The most widely used icons for the four Gospel writers originated with Bishop Irenaes (c.130 - c202), who argued there must be exactly four Gospels. This argument is found in his book, Adversus Haereses 3:11:8 --- (paraphrasing) In Psalm 80:1-2, David wrote, "O Shepherd of Israel, you who sit enthroned between cherubim, come and save us. [Cherubim are winged angelic beings.] Then in Revelation 4:6 - 8, there are four winged beings that sit around the enthroned Christ, these must be the cherubim surrounding Christ. The first winged creature was like a lion, this must signify Christ's active and princely character, the second was like an ox, showing Christ's sacrificial and priestly order, the third had a face like a man, very clearly Christ in his human form, the fourth was like an eagle, making plain the giving of the Spirit who broods over the Church. Now the Gospels, in which Christ is enthroned, are like these.

The pairing of which winged being was to be identified with which Gospel writer is not clear and took many centuries before a standard was established.

The following description from the book, "The Windows and Symbols of First Methodist Church Birmingham, Mich. edited by Dr. Arnold F. Runkel and privately published by the Church for its members in 1966.

THE EVANGELISTS

St. Luke
The Gospel of St. Luke concerns itself with the sacrifice, priesthood and atonement of the Saviour. Hence the ox, the animal of sacrifice. The small caduceus, serpents twined round a staff, refers to St. Luke's calling of physician.

St. John
St. John is represented by the eagle as his Gospel is said to soar on eagle's wings to the very throne of heaven. The small serpent below is a reference to the legend of an attempt to murder St. John by poisoning the wine in the communion chalice. [When John blessed the chalice], the poison took the form of a serpent and crawled away.

The windows of the Evangelists were given in memory of Andrew Morison by his wife and son.


Height: 45"

Width: 28"

Evangelists Luke and John
Evangelists Luke and John
Evangelists Luke and John outside
Evangelists Luke and John outside

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