Changing Iconography of Ecclesiastical Architecture: 20 Examples of Contemporary Stained Glass in Churches

Written by James Wormald
Published on January 31, 2024

Whatever religion we classify ourselves as – or even if we actively renounce or denounce organized religion in all its forms – the one aspect of Christianity those in predominantly Christian countries are touched by at some point in their lives, is the classical aesthetic of church architecture.

Whether we actively attend church multiple times a week, begrudgingly once or twice a year, or once every ten years for one of life’s trinity of events: births, deaths, and marriages, while there we’re struck by the soaring arches, intricate stonework, and, on a sunny day, the spiritual beauty and colorful rainbows of light that stream through stained glass windows.

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Intended to represent the light of God entering our lives, the design and placement of a church’s windows are key to the palpable spirituality in the cavernous interior of an ancient church interior. Meanwhile, church windows that feature colorful ‘stained’ glass combine light with artistic beauty and movement, further highlighting this comforting presence.

Changing Iconography of Ecclesiastical Architecture: 20 Examples of Contemporary Stained Glass in Churches - Image 7 of 27 — Meditation Chapel. Image © Kim Yongseong

With huge walls and equally oversized pillars required to bear their weight, early stained glass windows in churches were relatively small. However, when the soaring arches and wide buttresses we identify with church and cathedral architecture today became more prevalent, windows far larger in size gave light a more commanding presence.

Rather than a gloomy, suffocating scene, a brighter and more joyful nave made churches more welcoming settings for anyone in search of either spiritual or physical assistance. So when glass-makers found that the electrons of various oxides added to the glass mixture would absorb light at different wavelengths, they began to form recipes for casting glass sheets in a full spectrum of colors.

By cutting these sheets of colored glass into shape, placing them onto a sketched drawing (vidimus), connecting them together with the strength and flexibility of lead, and finally by painting black enamel onto the glass as detail and shading to accurately depict hands, faces, and fabric – complex scenes could be illustrated in glass.

With churches across Europe gradually aging close to 1,000 years a variety of architectural vulnerabilities like crumbling walls, weather-damaged roofs, and ineffective heating systems mean many are in urgent need of restoration if not full renovation. However artistic features like the ornate stonework and stained glass windows are more regularly restored and/or replicated rather than replaced.

Changing Iconography of Ecclesiastical Architecture: 20 Examples of Contemporary Stained Glass in Churches - Image 18 of 27 — Liulin Catholic Church. Image © Runzi Zhu

With church attendance in a gradual but steady decline across the past century in both the US and across Europe, many restored, renovated, or newly built churches and their leaders have chosen to focus on the areas of the Christian faith that align with the modern world like wellness and inclusivity. By omitting much of the religious iconography and bible-based depictions evident in traditional stained glass artworks while retaining the bright and engaging colors, contemporary church interiors are rebranding themselves for younger, more humanist-leaning churchgoers. Highlighting their position as spaces where everyone regardless of age, wealth, gender, and even religion and faith are welcomed and treated equally.

Changing Iconography of Ecclesiastical Architecture: 20 Examples of Contemporary Stained Glass in Churches - Image 21 of 27 — Luoyuan Anglican Church. Image © Shikai, Dengxie Xiang, INUCE

The original stained glass windows used lead to hold multiple sections together, protecting against the extremes of weather and temperature by rubbing a mixture of lead, lime, and linseed oil into the joints. But instead of relying on ancient stonework and other materials to retain their airtight seal across centuries, church buildings can ensure they provide welcoming communal spaces that are bright, dry, and warm by encasing their colorful stained glass behind stronger glass panels or facades. The use of a double-skin facade also means additional light sources directed through stained glass windows can bring the church interior to life, even at night.

Instead of using the color of stained glass, meanwhile, it’s worth pointing out other ways in which architects can creatively shape light entering a church, while still highlighting its presence. By changing the shape and formation of the windows where the sun enters the building during services, church interiors can either be filled with soul-grabbing iconic representations such as crosses, or recreate the dappled effect of organically filtered light with perforated facades.

These newly-built, renovated, and restored church buildings are filled either with colorful or sculpted light: