Emblems & Icons

The best  approach is to symbolize the Father by showing just His hand.  In this way, utmost respect is rendered by avoiding showing His face and by not revealing too much of His scale, both of which are impossible for humans to do or to fathom.

This symbol makes the tripartite and indivisible nature of the Holy Trinity obvious, if not redundant

Taken from the book of Revelation, this image symbolizes Christ Jesus in the fullness of time.  The Lamb is usually shown at rest but still bearing the wound of His sacrifice.  It points to the worthiness of our Lord, who alone was able to open the book.

The dove's attitude, or pose, should be considered.  It is often shown decending from heaven as in the Gospel account of Christ's Baptism in the Jordan River, from which the image originates.  In this depiction, we see the dove ascending or alighting, which indicates our prayers, hope, and peace.

It is nearly impossible to avoid an image of a European-sytle manger, so our example follows that old, though inaccurate, image.  A tri-radiant nimbus is placed behind the head of the Child, and for emphasis, a Chi-Rho fused with a cross tops a crown to show that our King and promised Savior did indeed arrive.

In Christianity, the three crowns (Righteousness, Life, and Glory) are the crown of righteousness, the crown of life, and the crown of glory. They are a representation of the rewards that Christians will receive in the Kingdom of God.  These crowns are meant to encourage Christians during times of trial. They are evidence of the graces that God has given to Christians, and a reminder that God is the source of all success and goodness.

Any number of items associated with the Passion of Jesus may be shown with the cross.  This variation is common, and it mirrors the somewhat similar crowned cross.  In this case, the crown of thorns also hints at a circle, which symbolizes eternity and slaps death in the face.

The crowing rooster has long been a symbol of Peter's denial of Christ.  It has even been placed atop church spires, if only to give parishioners an extra helping of humble pie while en route to church.

This ancient symbol was usurped from pagan mythology by early Christians.  The notion of a bird rising to life from its own ashes is used as an analogy for the resurrection of Jesus.

This form has been used for centuries in the church.  Its Greek abbreviation for Jesus Christ, along with the word victory, echoes what is proclaimed in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 and other passages in Scripture: that Christ Jesus is indeed the victor in spite of and because of the cross.

Among the various ways to symbolize the tablets, most take an abbreviated approach and do not include the entire text.  Many use roman numerals, putting five on one tablet and five on another.  Those of Calvinist or Eastern Orthodox persuasion often put four on the first tablet and six on the second.  Lutherans and Roman Catholics most often put three on the first tablet and seven on the second. 

Because sacred artwork may depict various writers and writings, it's best to give some hint as to what writing is being shown.  An example would have a cross emerging from its pages, but it also has three bookmarks, which give a strong not to the Holy Trinity.

There are variations used in symbolizing the Sacrement of Holy Baptism.  Strangely, the oldest symbol is not visual - it is numerical.  The number eight has long been associated with the resurrection of our Lord and, by extension, Holy Baptism.  The dove's attitude, or pose, should be considered.  It is often shown decending from heaven as in the Gospel account of Christ's Baptism in the Jordan River, from which the image originates.

A fancy cup by itself is not enough to symbolize the Sacrament of the Altar.  A host must be placed above a chalice and, to visually confess what we believe, a nonogram - such as a Chi-Rho - should be imprinted on both the host and the chalice.  This confesses that the consecrated bread and wine are the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

The foundation on which we build our lives (see Matthew 7:26; Luke 6:48), Jesus is the rock of our salvation.  This imagery appears in the Old Testament in the form of the stone that was struck, as Jesus was, and from which springs living water (Exodus 17:6).  In our symbol here, Christ is shown as immovable and steadfast by surrounding a large rock with weather-beaten water.  A symbolic cousin of this idea is that of the church on a rock, though in that case it is necessary that a church-like structure be placed atop the rock.

In Christianity, the heart is the center of a person's life, and is considered the source of their intellect, emotions, and spirit. The heart is also the place where people make decisions, form motives, and develop their character.

Most people would recognize this as the most basic of crosses, and it has been in use as a symbol of Christianity since the second century after Christ.  Older art books give proportional rules that govern its design, but these have been bent so often that one needn't fret if the arms, for example, are not equal to the verticle above the intersection.  Christian churches often use the Latin cross as the shape of the floor plan.  For those keeping score, it is also known as the Crux Imissa.

There are many variations on this ancient style of cross.  The early church embraced this symbol because it was familiar to fishermen and, in an era when Christians were often threatened, this design was poplular because it was less conspicuous that a Latin cross.  This example is modeled after one inscribed on a Christian stone sarcophagus.

Three intertwined circles (often within a fourth circle) give a somewhat better confession that a triangle.  The circle (without beginning or end) confesses the eternal quality of God.  The three circles intertwined illustrate the indivisible nature of the three Persons of the trinity.

The dove represents the Holy Spirit.  It is often shown descending from heaven as in the Gospel account of Christ's Baptism in the Jordan River, from which the image originates.  Consider as well references to the Spirit in Isaiah 11:2, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him" and 42:1, "I have put My Spirit on Him." 

Known by its English transliteration, this is not an abbreviation but an acrostic based on the Greek word for "fish."  The acrostic roughly translates as "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."  The Christian Church has used the symbol since the second century.  Some claim the symbol was used to identify Christians during times when they were persecuted for the faith.  The fish may have been chosen to reference Jesus' miraculous feeding of the five thousand or to indicate Jesus commissioning His followers as "fisher of men."

Because sacred artwork may depict various writers and writings, it's best to give some hint as to what writing is being shown.  An example would have a cross emerging from its pages, but it also has three bookmarks, which give a strong not to the Holy Trinity.  The Christogram such as the depicted Chi-Rho represent the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Byzantine Cross, characterized by bold lines and symmetrical flares, commands a presence against its often monochromatic backdrop. Each limb of this cross expands to a flourish, mirroring the spread of the faith across continents. It stands as an enduring symbol of Byzantine heritage, marrying clarity of design with profound historical roots.  With unadorned elegance, this cross reflects the early Christian Church’s artistic purity, offering a design uncluttered by extraneous detail yet rich in tradition. 

This pairing of characters, the first and last in the Greek alphabet, is often included with a Chi-Ro symbol, thus compounding the symbol to mean "Christ, the beginning and the end" and references the eternal nature of the Lord.  It is taken from the book of Revelation, notably 1:8, and is a reference to Isaiah 44:6.  The symbols have been used in Christian imagery since the time of the early church.

The cup and bread represent the consecrated bread and wine which are the body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Although there is no biblical mention that the scallop shell was ever used for applying water, it has become a frequent symbol for Holy Baptism over the years.  St. James is said to have traveled as far as Spain to spread the Gospel and the scallop has become his identifying symbol.  It is important to add three drops of water when using the scallop to signify that we baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Above the altar within Zion's sanctuary, you will find this stained glass rose window.  At the center of this window you will find the initials "IHC" which represent Jesus.  This symbol is derived from the Greek spelling of Jesus (IHCOYC). Its position in the church captures the rising morning sun as it shines upon all those who gather for our morning worship.  

Designed by Luther himself in the 1520s, this seal has become a timeless symbol of the Lutheran faith and represents the basic foundations of Christian theology.  At the center you will find a black cross representing the sacrifice of Jesus.  It is surrounded by a red heart for the belief of Christ's salvation.  The white rose represents the joy, comfort and peace our faith brings.  These depictions are surrounded by a field of sky-blue representing the beginning of heaven.  All encompassed by a gold ring representing the endless joy in heaven.