Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

In 1522, Martin Luther emerged from hiding in Wartburg Castle, risking his life to restore order to the young Reformation. In his absence, his former colleague Andreas Karlstadt had introduced radical changes in Wittenberg, including the violent destruction of religious art—altarpieces, statues, stained glass windows, and more. Karlstadt sought to purge the church of anything associated with Rome. His actions stood in sharp contrast to Luther’s hope of reforming the Church through careful study of the Scriptures. With the help of others, Luther was able to stop the destruction of church art in the German territories.

In Switzerland, Huldrych Zwingli took a different approach. He and his followers taught that if the Bible did not explicitly command a practice or element in worship, it had no place in the church. This principle led to the removal of religious art used for beautification or instruction. As a result, many churches in the Reformed, Presbyterian, and Reformed Baptist traditions feature plain sanctuaries—often with a stage rather than a traditional altar, and minimal or no Christian symbols, including the cross. 

Luther, and the Lutheran Reformers, by contrast, recognized art as a valuable gift from God. In an era when most people could not read, religious images reinforced the teachings of Scripture. Existing art in churches that became Lutheran was generally retained, and new works were created. One outstanding example is the Weimar Altarpiece in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Weimar, painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder and completed by his son, Lucas Cranach the Younger, between 1552 and 1555.

I recently purchased a print of this powerful altarpiece. Like much of the best Medieval and Renaissance Christian art, it was created to teach and proclaim the Bible. At the center is the crucified Christ—Jesus the victim and the atoning substitute for our sin. In the lower left, the risen Christ stands victorious, trampling death and the devil.

At the foot of the cross on the right are three key figures. John the Baptist, true to his calling, points directly to Christ. Beside him stands Lucas Cranach the Elder, with a stream of blood from Christ’s pierced side flowing onto his head—a personal confession that the blood of Christ was shed for him. Next to Cranach is Martin Luther, who points to an open Bible containing three key passages. The first is 1 John 1:7: “The blood of Jesus…cleanses us from all sin.”

The background is rich with additional biblical imagery: Moses, the bronze serpent, Satan, and Death. There is far more theological depth in this single work than can be covered in a short article. The more one studies it, the more one sees the fullness of God’s plan of salvation centered in Christ. 

Artistic styles have changed since the Renaissance. We may now prefer the simpler beauty of sunflowers or water lilies to the complex, symbol-laden compositions of Michelangelo or Cranach. Churches have large crosses above the altar instead of altarpieces or sculptures. Yet art remains a wonderful gift for reinforcing faith. This is why Lutherans have historically embraced its use in the church—from majestic altarpieces like the Weimar Altarpiece, to stained glass, carved pulpits, banners, paintings, sculptures, and other adornments that point us to Christ.

As St. Paul encourages, we are to dwell on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). In the Weimar Altarpiece, I see the history of God’s saving plan, Christ’s atoning work for me, and the precious gift of the Lutheran Reformation, which proclaims that we are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. While the beauty of nature scenes has its place, it cannot compare to the comfort of beholding Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the devil.

Come to my office any time if you would like to see the painting up close. You can learn more about the images in the painting here: https://mounthopecasper.com/cranachs-weimar-altarpiece/

Epitaph-altarpiece of Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous in the Weimar parish church St. Peter and Paul [central panel] Lucas Cranach the Elder and Lucas Cranach the Younger, 1555

✝️ Pastor Deming

The full newsletter can be found here:
https://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2026/2026-06-Newsletter.pdf