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Boise church to address stained-glass window depicting Robert E. Lee

With all the racial turmoil throughout the nation right now, the window at the Cathedral of the Rockies has become a talking point on social media.

BOISE, Idaho — During the start of the Civil War, as brother fought against brothers, gold had just been discovered in the Idaho Territory, bringing thousands of people westward, hoping to strike it rich.

As the territory began to grow, so did the need for religious services.

In 1872, a Methodist church opened its doors at 10th and State Streets in downtown Boise.

Nearly 90 years later in 1960, the current Cathedral of the Rockies at 11th and Hays Streets opened its doors for the very first time.

Cathedrals are typically known for their stained glass windows, which aim to tell the story of Christianity.

In Boise, the Cathedral of the Rockies says those windows "historically and artistically enrich the beauty of the building while informing present and future generations of our Christian faith and our Methodist heritage - sprinkled with a nod to our Idaho home."

Those windows, which were actually made in Pennsylvania, also tell the story of American history and include the likes of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee, the commander of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War.

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With the recent unrest across the country over the killing of George Floyd and the racism wrapped up in that, the window has become a talking point of conversation across social media.

Cathedral of the Rockies (here in Boise) has a stained glass window of Robert E. Lee and it’s time to take it down. from Boise

We reached out to the Cathedral of the Rockies for comment.

A spokesman for the church says they're aware of the issue and timeliness of the matter and there are plans in the works to address it.

An official announcement is expected later this week.

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