The font is carved into a boulder that was donated by the government of Jordan as a gesture towards Muslim, Christian and Jewish cooperation. It was shipped from a hillside near Bethlehem in 1960 and placed before John Piper’s stunning Baptistry window.

The font was carved into it by Ralph Beyer. He was a German letter-cutter, sculptor and teacher. He is most noted for his work on the new Coventry Cathedral, including carving not only the baptismal font but also the foundation stone of the cathedral, the greetings set into its floor and, what is perhaps his most famous work, the huge inscriptions in the nave.

Born in Berlin, Beyer served in the British Army during WWII. His mother was murdered in Auschwitz.