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Step into any church, and the rows of seating are likely the first element to catch your eye. But these chairs, pews, or benches are more than just furniture; they hold a rich history and reflect the evolving practices and beliefs of religious communities. This post delves into the fascinating story of church seating, exploring its significance from the early days of Christianity to the modern era.
From Standing Room Only to Early Benches:
The very first Christian gatherings lacked dedicated seating. Early Christians, often meeting in private homes or hidden spaces, worshipped in a more fluid manner, standing, kneeling, or moving around freely. However, as Christianity spread and church architecture developed, the need for seating arose.
The 13th century saw the introduction of simple stone benches, lining the walls of churches in a semi-circular formation. These early benches offered a place of rest for the elderly and infirm, reflecting a shift towards a more structured service format.
The Rise of the Pew and the Protestant Reformation:
By the 14th and 15th centuries, wooden pews began to replace their stone counterparts. These long benches with backs offered greater comfort and facilitated a more focused worship experience, with congregations facing the pulpit for...
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Tags: church church furniture church chairs church seating church renovation church pews
TODAY’S SPECIAL: Romans 12:1-8
TO CHEW ON: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:4,5
Think of all the parts of your body needed for you to do common things like seeing, hearing, smelling, walking, talking. Take smelling for example.To smell something you need your heart and lungs to be working and your blood to be pumping so you can breathe.
When the air enters your nose you need the smell sensors deep inside to pick up the smell molecules from the air.
Those sensors send the message down nerve pathways from your nose to your brain.
When the smell message gets to your brain , your brain has to figure out what you’re smelling.
Then you need more nerve pathways to send messages to your legs and arms, to tell them if you should run away because your house is on fire, or to come for dinner because you’re smelling food cooking.
It’s a good thing the hidden-away parts of our bodies, like our hearts and lungs, don’t get jealous of our public...
Read More about Seen or Unseen? »
Tags: serving Saul/Paul Romans God’s plan church
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