Why do churches have stain glass windows?

Answer 1

"Stained glass windows were commonly used in churches for decorative and informative purposes."

Churches like to tell the stories of their beliefs in a visual form, from stone carvings to written words. During the 18th century stained glass became very popular in building construction, and this method of telling stories visually to the mostly un-educated masses was widely applied to the most common, gothic design and other wise, churches.

Nowdays it is commonly linked in culture to churches, even though they are not its origin.

"The term Poor Man's Bible has come into use in modern times to describe works of art within churches and cathedrals which either individually or collectively have been created to illustrate the teachings of the Bible for a largely illiterate population. These artworks may take the form of carvings, paintings, mosaics or stained glass windows. In some churches a single window has the role of Poor Man's Bible while in others, the entire church is decorated with a complex biblical narrative that unites in a single scheme. "

Answer 2

They had a dual role, the first was for educating the poor and illiterate classes of the time and were a kind of story book with pictures only, the second use was for beauty and reverence of the Gospel.
It is interesting that many cultures used similar methods to tell stories, people in Spain and Portugal in medieval times used colored wall tiles to show extracts from the Gospels and also for depicting national heroes etc, and this tradition came from the Moors I think.

Answer 3

They were commonly used as a way to show images of scenes from the Bible or church history, or in some cases town history because the church was a place of pride in the old days and often the central part of the community. Today they are traditonal and used for an extra splash of color in the church. Some churches use them to honor members of the church who have spent their church going lives at that church before they pass away or just after they pass away.

Answer 4

combined with the vast size of the early churches and cathedrals, stained glass windows, aside from being works of art, struck wonder and awe in the hearts of the typical church goer. these people were typically poor serfs, working for a duke, earl , baron etc. living in a little better than squalor, uneducated, paying their taxes. going to church was more than a religious experience, it was an opportunity to get away from their meager life, and enjoy a little heaven on earth.

Answer 5

In the old days, many people couldn't read so the windows were designed to tell a story.