Center for Liturgical Art installs stained glass window at Lutheran Center in Baltimore

“Darkness Broken,” a nine by nine-foot stained glass window, traveled to Baltimore, Md., from Seward, Neb. The Center for Liturgical Art at Concordia worked for more than a year on the window, which was installed on the top floor of the Lutheran Center, six stories off the ground.

“Darkness Broken” features a stylized cross made of stainless steel surrounded by a swirl of glass in brilliant yellows, oranges and purples. During the day, the glass appears as solid color, but at night the piece trulys stand out, backlit by powerful LED lights.

The Lutheran Center is home to the headquarters of Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Services of America, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.   

As Mark Anschutz, the managing artist for the CLA and designer of the window, conceptualized the design, he kept returning to the idea of God’s universe and the service-oriented mission of the organizations in the building. “God’s salvation shown through the cross reaches to everyone in creation," Anschutz said. "The swirling universe shape reminds us of all of our brothers and sisters in Christ across the world. The window celebrates the mission of these groups to extend the love of Christ across the universe.”

The title of the piece comes from the hymn “Christ, Our Human Likeness Sharing.” The second verse of the hymn reads:

“Hear the word that Christ has spoken; Help the weak, the hungry feed; See the pow’rs of darkness broken, Sinners pardoned, captives freed; Christ the Savior, Christ the Servant, Help us meet our neighbor’s need.”

“This verse speaks powerfully to the vital work these Lutheran ministries are doing in the U.S. and all over the world,” Anschutz said. 

The CLA is based on the campus of Concordia University, Nebraska. The CLA advocates for the presence of visual art in Christian communities. Through art fabrication, design consultation, outreach programs and involvement with Concordia students, the CLA proclaims the glory of God through the visual arts.