St George’s Church, Beckenham, The East windows – a study

Introduction

The East windows – a set of five – were designed and made by Thomas Freeth. They replace the Victorian windows that were damaged in the Second World War.

Useful websites:
https://stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk/history/windows/
https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/search/actor:freeth-thomas-19121994
Also see the leaflet – The Freeth Windows

The five windows form a set which may be interpreted in many ways but the approach taken in the following descriptions is that of the course of time
from creation to the end times.

Connections are made backward in time with significant characters from history and also forward with judgement and the last days.

There are five windows each with three sections.
The central figure in each is Christ.

Moving from south to north the central figure is:
1. Christ, the second Adam
2. Christ, the prophet
3. Christ the Great High priest
4. Christ, the King
5. Christ, the Judge.

The faces are in a Byzantine style and each window has one or two predominant colours.

The northern-most window shows Christ the judge (John 5. 22; Acts 17. 30 – 31; Revelation 5. 5).
He carries the book of life and wears judge’s headgear and regalia.
On the left Moses, an old man with a flowing beard, holds the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20. 1 – 21),
the Law and teaching on behaviour. He carries a stick with which he has struck the rock from which water is flowing out (Exodus 17. 5 – 7).
Rays of light radiate from his head (Exodus 34. 29). Moses Is regarded as the greatest prophet and teacher.
He led the people from slavery to freedom.

St Peter is the one who acknowledges Jesus as ‘the Messiah, the Son of the living God’ (Matthew 17. 16).
He stands on the other side of Christ the Judge, holding the keys to the kingdom
and this signifies that he is given the authority to make decisions concerning innocence or guilt (Matthew 16.19).
Peter is the rock [πέτρᾳ] (petra) on which the Church, in his hands, is to be built (Matthew 16. 18).
He is the one who acknowledges Jesus as ‘the Messiah, thje Son of the living God’

Blue and green are the main colours in this window.