82nd Airborne Chapel Stained Glass Windows
Images from a chapel on Fort Liberty, NC
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Photographing Stained Glass
These pictures were taken many years ago on 35mm film. I was home visiting Fayetteville not long after I moved out to California in the mid 90s and decided to try taking pictures of the Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) Stained Glass Windows. When I described them to people, they didn't believe me. I wanted verifiable evidence. With my camera in hand, along with a tripod, I asked the clergyman at the church if it would be alright to take some photos. He gave his blessing and in I went.
As a teenager I attended mass from time to time there with my dear friend, Mary, after I'd spend the night at her house. Her mom would make us get up early and go to church together, which as teenagers we weren't particularly thrilled to do, but it was a requirement.
The service was pretty conventional, a few hymns, priest spoke, quoted some verses, etc. I wasn't allowed to take communion because I wasn't Catholic, so I stood aside for that part. Those wafers taste like styrofoam anyway so I was happy to avoid them.
Peace be with you
During the middle of the mass the priest would tell us, with no trace of irony, to shake hands with our neighbors and say "Peace be with you" while being surrounded by stained glass images of men with guns charging into battle. I felt the dissonance. There's probably no place on earth where the message of peace needs to be heard more.
Recently I discovered that the chapel moved to a new larger location. They made sure to move the stained glass windows with them. I'm so happy to discover that they did. These are really complex well crafted works of art that have a unique message that speaks a deep and difficult truth about our culture.
the lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed – Psalms 103:6
neither shall they learn war anymore – Isaiah 2:4
i have set watchmen upon thy walls – Isaiah 62:6
And the lord said “with these men I will deliver thee” – Judges 7:7
shout for the lord has given you the city – Joshua 6:16
