What type of stained glass is appropriate for your church and fits the needs and tastes of your diverse congregation?

Traditionally, stained glass was a means in which to teach the Bible. As literacy levels were low, a beautiful way to convey the life of Christ was through images and symbols.  Symbolic and figural stained glass remained the popular style of stained glass throughout much of history.   

Over the years, abstract and contemporary windows gained popularity when churches realized that traditional figural glass was more expensive than abstract. Traditional glass is costly due to the extensive labor involved with painting on the glass to achieve the detailed faces, hands, highlights and shadows. Abstract and contemporary stained glass commissions can be less expensive, as they often utilize large, bold colored pieces of glass with less detail. 

Often, the style of stained glass designed for a church may depend on the architecture of the building. Churches that possess the traditional cruciform shape with a main nave, two transepts, and an apse often dictate a more traditionally styled glass.

In contrast, churches designed in an open, fan shape or auditorium styles are often enhanced with abstract creations with less specific symbolic themes. 
  
For all churches, the service or worship must remain the most important ideal in all design and construction decisions. Therefore, it is important to note the message that stained glass windows send to viewers.

For example, abstract and contemporary designs are often described as a "mystery," meaning that they create an uplifting atmosphere and leave the interpretation to the imagination of the viewer. While mysterious and unique, it is important not to create windows so powerful that they distract from the worship. 

The stained glass artist should design the window with the perspective of the entire space in mind. To merely instruct an artist to design a window based on a specification to scale is a mistake because he or she will not be immersed in the space. 

Designing a stained glass window requires an understanding of all of the elements in the space, including fitments, wall colors, construction materials, flooring choices and the like. 

Whether a new glass design is traditional and figural, or abstract and contemporary, the goal of the stained glass artist is to design a window that reflects the architecture of the space, enhances the worship experience, and communicates the message desired by the faith community. 

B. Gunar Gruenke is vice president of Conrad Schmitt Studios, www.conradschmitt.com.