Lutheran Altars

[LutheranHawkeye]

Why don't we have the really cool altars like the RCC or the EO? We could Lutheran them up a bit by just having like Jesus and some angels on it. The really huge altars like in movies seem so overwhelming. It would be nice to have some beautiful artwork and statues.

 

[BigNorsk]

To each his own, but this style of altar was found in a lot of churches and I really always thought it was pretty neat. It seemed to be about the only type found in the white Lutheran churchs with their steeples. Of course there were lots of decisions the congregation made in purchasing one. Natural color or white, picture of Jesus knocking at the door, or ascending to heaven, style of rail and so on. Or you could go all out and get the fancier ones with a statue.

A close up of a Jesus knocking picture:

So many variations a little at a time, someone must have done a book on them.

Marv

 

[Protoevangel]

I have seen some pretty impressive altars in Lutheran Churches. Grace Lutheran Church, in Kincardine, Ontario has a very nice altar, somewhat similar to the 2nd picture Marv posted above (the white one).

 

[KEPLER]

Why don't we have the really cool altars like the RCC or the EO? We could Lutheran them up a bit by just having like Jesus and some angels on it. The really huge altars like in movies seem so overwhelming. It would be nice to have some beautiful artwork and statues.

Because most American Lutheran churches are "low-church". Other than that, American Lutheranism's last big growth spurt was in the 60s, when American architecture was at its absolute worst. Just look at the architecture at Ft. Wayne Seminary, for example. Hideousness.

BTW, this is St. john's Lutheran Church in Orange, Ca. Sorry, the wedding photo was the only photo their website had of the entire Altar.

I, for one, can't stand the painting of Jesus knocking on the door. Bad theology. The paintings (like the Holmon Hunt) ALWAYS show Jesus knocking on the door of someone's house, like he's asking an individual to open the door to him. But the Scripture from which the image is taken says Jesus is knocking on the door of a Church.

 

[LutheranHawkeye]

I always thought Lutheran Altars were so bland because of European tradition. Just the altar and a small cross, but it's great to see some beautiful american Lutheran altars.

 

[LutheranHawkeye]

Because most American Lutheran churches are "low-church". I deserve that.

 

[C.F.W. Walther]

I have seen some pretty impressive altars in Lutheran Churches. Grace Lutheran Church, in Kincardine, Ontario has a very nice altar, somewhat similar to the 2nd picture Marv posted above (the white one).

Yep Norsk----seen alot of those altars in 60 years. Mostly in churches from the 1920-40's. Some company must have run a special on them with "Jesus knocking" thrown in.

If you get around the larger cities like St.louis in particular you see more elorborate altars. St.Mark's in Eureka Mo. has a hand carved altar and baptismal fount and a huge dove floating above. Oops sorry...that was in the old sanctuary. I think the new one has hand carved altar and also hand carved backdrop. I'm not talking small, I'm talking fairly large. I wish I could remember the sculpturs name. I know him and he only lives like 25 miles from me but I havn't seen him in years in I forget his name. hmm....Marv Linenbroker???---yea----I think thats it.

 

[DaRev]

Here's the altar at my church:

The picture is Jesus walking on and Peter sinking into the Sea of Galilee. An unusual picture for an altar reredos if you ask me.

Below it is a painted plaster releif of DaVinci's Last Supper.

The altar was installed when the building was built in 1925.

 

[KEPLER]

Here's the altar at my church:

The picture is Jesus walking on and Peter sinking into the Sea of Galilee. An unusual picture for an altar reredos if you ask me.

Below it is a painted plaster releif of DaVinci's Last Supper.

The altar was installed when the building was built in 1925.

Very cool! Odd, but until your post it had never occured to me that Peter walking/sinking on water is not really an oft-painted subject. I spent a lot of time in the big churches in Antwerp two summers ago (the ones with all the Rubens paintings) and I can't recall this theme evr coming up. And not in any Churches in Germany, either....

I wonder why? It seems a perfect theme for any Church that believes in the Theology of the Cross....

 

[Dorf]

Our church took the big oval marble alter from the old church and had it placed in the middle of wood then placed in our new church. It is big but very plain. It just has a candle on either end but it is big. Probably 15ft long and 7 ft wide and it sits in the open by itself.