Faith, Form and Light: A Guide to the Stained Glass Windows at Christ Anglican Church

Window 2: The Incarnation – the Birth of Christ
This depiction of the incarnation shows Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus framed within a
simple manger. Mary kneels, hands together in prayer, to the left of Jesus. Her head bows
slightly down, indicating the direction of her gaze and her connection to the infant. Jesus
gestures with both arms upward toward Mary and appears to meet her gaze. Through this
composition, an invisible triangle forms between Jesus and Mary: Jesus’ head and hands
exist on the same horizontal plane as Mary’s hands to form the base of this triangle; from
Mary’s hands to her face the left-most plane, and from her eyes to Jesus’ the third plane.
We see a similar pattern of triangular arrangements echoed throughout this window’s
composition. The roof of the manger, the rays beaming down from the Star of Bethlehem,
the three bodies at the center of the image. The triangle is signicant in the context of the
Incarnation because Jesus is the fulllment of the plan of salvation of the triune God.
Triangles are a geometric manifestation of trinities and their form is one of balance,
harmony, and solidity.
Yet, despite the prevalence of the triangular motif in this image, it is important that the
artist chose to represent the incarnation guratively, rather than as an abstraction or
through the use of symbols. There is a reason this is the only window in the series which
includes naturalistic, gurative representations of the human form. This portrayal of
bodies, in turn, underscores the meaning of the Incarnation: with the birth of Jesus, God
entered our human history as man. In this way, picturing Jesus as an infant with Mary and
Joseph at once illustrates the most celebrated event in the Bible while reinforcing the very
meaning of this event.
LOOK UP
And join the angels in rejoicing
In God’s gift of Christ’s birth
REFLECT
On the blessings, grace and strength
you receive from God each day
REMEMBER
The loved ones who have gone before you
Dedicated to the Glory of God in thanksgiving
For His many blessings
The Opstad Family – 2019
Stan and Judy and their children
Stan III, Ray and Stephannie