Holy Trinity, Coventry: Light

Thanks to heavy German bombing in the Second World War, Coventry lost most of its fine medieval buildings, including its cathedral. One rare jewel to survive this onslaught is Holy Trinity Church, almost right next to the obliterated cathedral, ironically. When I entered, a friendly African migrant who is part of the congregation bade me welcome and highlighted some of its finer features, of which there are a great many.

I was struck by the great tower, which is one of the tallest in England belonging to a parish church, standing 236 feet high. Instead of being at one end, it is placed in the middle. Beneath its ceiling are many windows, giving it a lantern effect, cascading God’s sweet daylight into the church beneath. Older churches were lit by tallow and wax candles, and modern ones by electrical lights, but there is no natural light so pure and bright as sunlight. Perhaps this is one reason why I liked Holy Trinity Church; instead of being dull and gloomy like so many of its colleagues, it was bright and cheerful. The tower light was aided by the large perpendicular-style windows from the 1400s which were wider and higher than their decorated gothic predecessors, including more glass and less carved stone.

Why do so many churches go wrong? Some turn to money-grubbing prosperity preaching; others drift into dull liberalism and unbelief; some are dominated by power-mad leaders, while another group are rudderless and sinking. And the answer? Disregard for God’s word. Instead of basking in its brightness and living by its illumination, the curtains are drawn, the blinds closed and the dim lights of human wisdom are allowed to animate dark shadows.

Live in the light.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Psalm 119:130