Baptist School's Million Dollar Stained Glass

[Jerome]

Danish artist gives glimpse of $1 million stained glass windows for Cornerstone's new chapel

Once completed, the windows will serve as a hallmark feature of the new chapel, bathing worshipers in red, blue and yellow light, and acting as a reminder of Cornerstone’s commitment to Christ, said university President Joseph Stowell.

“These windows tell the redemptive story,” he said. “They are constant reminders to all of us on campus … of the marvelous story of Christ’s work on our behalf.”

 

[RLBosley]

Hideous and stupidly expensive. Yes a really great way to show commitment to Christ...

 

[Greektim]

Danish artist gives glimpse of $1 million stained glass windows for Cornerstone's new chapel

Not that this is relevant... but is Cornerstone a baptist school?

 

[preachinjesus]

Not that this is relevant... but is Cornerstone a baptist school?

It used to be, it was founded as (another) Baptist Bible College back in 1940s. It is a non-denon Christian university these days.

As for the OP, that's a nice window. There is always a challenge with how we spend our money and how it reflects our priorities. I'm not opposed to a $1 mil stained glass window, but do question if there are other ways to aid the Kingdom with that money.

However, we've neglected the aesthetic value of pursuing high quality art work that broadcasts the Gospel in powerful ways in Baptist worlds. Perhaps it is time to rethink our simplistic agenda.

 

[Salty]

It used to be, it was founded as (another) Baptist Bible College back in 1940s. It is a non-denon Christian university these days.

.

from Wiki, Cornerstone was founded in 1941 as the Baptist Bible Institute. It was accredited in 1972 as a degree-granting college. It merged with the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music in 1993.[7] On July 1, 1999, following approval by the State of Michigan, Cornerstone College and Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary became Cornerstone University.

For years GR Baptist college was an "approved" school of the GARBC (Gen Assoc of Reg Bap churches)

 

[Alcott]

Stained glass? Who needs it?

 

[annsni]

From the article, it stated that the windows were funded by donors and the artist was found through one of the donors. Having been in fund raising, it could be like this: donor sees artist's work and loves it and wants to share it - approaches school about funding some of his work at the school, the school agrees and bang - a million spent on a window.

Since it was funded by donors, I don't mind much.

 

[Zenas]

Hideous and stupidly expensive. Yes a really great way to show commitment to Christ...

Read the account of building Solomon's temple. It took seven years to build it and it contained the best and most expensive materials available at the time. Scripture doesn't tell us the cost but it was no doubt the most expensive building in Israel. And God approved.

This stained glass window isn't to my taste either, but someone likes it, and it does provide an ambiance in the worship center that is conducive to prayer and worship. In too many instances we have unfortunately built our worship centers to resemble plain secular meeting halls.

 

[Greektim]

It used to be, it was founded as (another) Baptist Bible College back in 1940s. It is a non-denon Christian university these days.

As for the OP, that's a nice window. There is always a challenge with how we spend our money and how it reflects our priorities. I'm not opposed to a $1 mil stained glass window, but do question if there are other ways to aid the Kingdom with that money.

However, we've neglected the aesthetic value of pursuing high quality art work that broadcasts the Gospel in powerful ways in Baptist worlds. Perhaps it is time to rethink our simplistic agenda.

Great post!

 

[gb93433]

There are many things built as "monuments to God". Those things eventually are gone. They do not last for eternity. Over the years I have built many expensive buildings but not one of them would I build for myself. However some of them were built for people who have loads of money and the cost was a very small amount of their income. The last home I built was very nice and the cost was about 5% of the man's yearly income. So in proportion how many would spend that small of a percentage of their yearly income on their home? I cannot judge any of them I know to be greedy or miserly. Some I know give away huge amounts of money. While I cannot judge another they paid my bills and allowed me to help those in need. They treated me and my family well.

 

[Jerome]

Another Baptist school's new chapel windows pay homage to leading personalities of the Southern Baptist conservative deliverance:

http://www.swbts.edu/campus-news/southwestern-in-the-news/star-telegram-highlights-chapel-windows/

Don and Debora Young watched anxiously as Dorothy Patterson’s dream came one window closer to fulfillment at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“I’m a little nervous, because glass breaks and a million things could go wrong,” said Don Young, the artist/owner of Don Young Glass Studio, as workers installed the ninth of more than five dozen stained-glass windows destined to enhance the J.W. MacGorman Chapel.

The windows will immortalize Baptists who helped effect the culture change to more conservative attitudes in the Southern Baptist Convention, Patterson said.

Creating windows for the 3,500-seat chapel and performance center, which opened two years ago, gives Don Young a chance to use photo-etching techniques that he said he helped pioneer in the 1970s.

Using a subject’s photo as a guide, the artist etches the image on glass so it looks like the person in fine detail, Young said.

Dorothy and Paige Patterson will be portrayed together in a window set to be made next year, Young said.

 

[Bro. James]

In as much as "God does not dwell in temples made with hands", and "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof", $1M of Tiffany eye salve from man will not hold up in the fire that will try all our works. This not the white throne.

Most of what we do for God seems to be in the flesh. God is Spirit. He cannot deal with our flesh. Church is not entertainment with warm and fuzzy feelings. Do we think God is amused?

We seem to have a tower of babel in our genes. Why did God knock it down?

$1M, USD--that would buy 500,000 Bibles at $2 ea.

Go plant seed.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

[Zenas]

In as much as "God does not dwell in temples made with hands", and "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof", $1M of Tiffany eye salve from man will not hold up in the fire that will try all our works. This not the white throne.

Most of what we do for God seems to be in the flesh. God is Spirit. He cannot deal with our flesh. Church is not entertainment with warm and fuzzy feelings. Do we think God is amused?

We seem to have a tower of babel in our genes. Why did God knock it down?

$1M, USD--that would buy 500,000 Bibles at $2 ea.

Go plant seed.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

But it would seem that God is pleased with magnificent edifices erected to His honor. See 2 Chronicles 7:1-2.

 

[RLBosley]

Read the account of building Solomon's temple. It took seven years to build it and it contained the best and most expensive materials available at the time. Scripture doesn't tell us the cost but it was no doubt the most expensive building in Israel. And God approved.

This stained glass window isn't to my taste either, but someone likes it, and it does provide an ambiance in the worship center that is conducive to prayer and worship. In too many instances we have unfortunately built our worship centers to resemble plain secular meeting halls.

I'm not against good art or even expensive art per se. I'm an amateur artist myself and I firmly believe God has and does use art to honor and glorify himself. My problem with this is that, first of all it, just isn't good. It looks awful. I know people have bought into the idea that art is subjective and there is not such thing as 'good' or 'bad' art, but that's nonsense. Second, $1 million is insane. There were no other needs at the campus than new stained glass windows? I understand that the funds were raised by donors, but really they couldn't find something more worthwhile to donate to?

I understand your comparison to the temple, but for me that doesn't quite work as the temple was built as THE house of God in Israel, the place where he made his glory known. The same cannot be said for any church or school chapel today.

 

[gb93433]

But it would seem that God is pleased with magnificent edifices erected to His honor. See 2 Chronicles 7:1-2.

I pity America when it places its trust in things rather than God. Many things man thought was honoring to God have come and gone except that which lasts for eternity. There are many nice edifices in Europe that are historical buildings with few inside other than old folks.

Years ago I was in a church which was saving to repair their parking lot and God impressed om the leaders to give it away. Not too much later God gave them way more than they could have ever imagined.

 

[Gina B]

It's about time a modern day church took their gathering place seriously. I'm so SICK of so many buildings where nobody takes much seriously.

Perhaps such commitment and care will help people recognize that church should mean something - something more than the coffee house, gossip hall, whatever faddish thing the newest millionth "church" in your area has become.

 

[gb93433]

It's about time a modern day church took their gathering place seriously. I'm so SICK of so many buildings where nobody takes much seriously.

Perhaps such commitment and care will help people recognize that church should mean something - something more than the coffee house, gossip hall, whatever faddish thing the newest millionth "church" in your area has become.

We need to examine what is the church? So are you saying that a university should have a million dollar piece of glass which has students from other countries where the pastor from that country would just like to have a bicycle which he can ride to the three churches he pastors? In that same church he pastors are people struggling just to get water and having a million dollar piece of glass in America is okay while the people here can do something about the lack of water? There is a church where I live which has a retired well driller and the first time he drilled a well in Africa it served a population of 300,000 people. He said just before he started pumping water there were people who came from all over the area to see. The local pastor started a school and some other vocational training which is paid for by other mission organizations so the people are trained to get good jobs. Those water wells have helped hospitals and so many other things. It is staggering. Yet we spend money on glass?

 

[Gina B]

There is money for glass, and there is money for water. The glass does not literally cost that much. Artistic value is assigned. People could pay for wells if they wanted to. The governments in those countries could do it. Money spent in our country on race car competitions, abortion, candy, etc. could pay for it.
I can't see singling out something meant to honor our Father as the thing to pick out as shameful spending. Seems it might be one of the rare times when money is NOT being wasted.
This country could probably manage a well a day by redirecting the money spent on Twinkies one day, soda the next, shoes for one month old babies the next, etc..

 

[just-want-peace]

Until you (collective YOU) know what the artist/installer et al did with the $ received, you don't know beans from bull foot about whether it was wasted or not.

Now before some of you get your panties in a wad, I used to feel the same way - such stuff a total waste of money, til I grasped the fact that all of it is His and He can designate it to be spent any way He chooses. Whether you or I agree with the expenditure is worth squat.

If (not anybody else's call) He led the school to purchase and/or accept the donation for these windows, then you may just find yourself questioning God's call for the use of His money. If the school is in His will, He can/will furnish the necessary funds for whatever needed to follow His will; if they are not following His will, such stuff will come back to haunt them.

Mighty dangerous ground to be treading!!

 

[gb93433]

Until you (collective YOU) know what the artist/installer et al did with the $ received, you don't know beans from bull foot about whether it was wasted or not.

Mighty dangerous ground to be treading!!

Imagine what Jesus did in His ministry. He is our example. Jesus said to give to Caesar what is his. Can someone explain how money for extravagant windows translates to souls and treasure in heaven. If that were so we would see a lot of souls in the churches that are filled with gold.